To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story
by aer-seph4eva
Summary: TLAA2 100% COMPLETE! The Sequel of TLAA An Aeris and Sephiroth story. After being kidnapped from AVALANCHE, Aeris soon finds out that when a God claims you for his own, not even death can save you from their grasp. SephAerKadaj
1. The Crimson eyed angel

****

To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story

Words 3034

****

12 pages

Chapter 1 The Crimson Eyed Angel.

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)

****

Author's Notes

Hi, everyone! Welcome back! I bet the guys who know me, really did not expect me to upload the sequel so quickly. I'm surprised too! Oh and for you newcomers, I think it would be better for you to read TLAA1 before you read this, so you can have a better understanding as to what has occurred so far, and why things are like they are in TLAA2. Heh, lets just say, that the situation where Aeris and Sephiroth split off in TLAA1, was nothing short of cataclysmic.

Um, but yeah. This fic may not be as exceedingly long as TLAA1, since I am focussing Aeris journey on another silver haired individual, rather than our beloved Sephiroth. Yeah, that's right! The lovable if not semi-psychotic Kadaj from Advent Children will soon be careening our way! Now I bet you guys must be thinking what the hell Kadaj will be doing in this fic! Aren't I a A/S worshipper? (-Aer-seph chuckles-) Don't worry A/S fans, this fic is still and always will be Aeris/Sephiroth (even though Sephy has gone AWOL)...but that doesn't mean that there won't be any persuasive competition from any other sides! lol.

Ahem...

I guess I should wrap up my A.N. now.

On with the sequel!

__

Day passed to night. Night passed to day. The rain fell from the heavens, and the cloud's reigned the sky. From light to shadow...to darkness and dawn. The world continued onwards, so death and life, would merge as one...

To Love an Ancient 2:

An Aeris and Kadaj story

**__**

Nibelheim Streets...

Many hours had passed since the sun had descended to the night. Now the moon was the mistress of the sky, and the glimmering stars were her loyal subjects. Together, they coloured the blackness of night into shades of soft silver, and cool, cobalt-grey.

And it was beneath this wondrous sky, that a black blur darted across the towns rooftops. Unseen and undetected, it leapt from building to building. It moved from brick to branch; from gravel, to sky. It dashed and weaved between the shadows; and then, with one gigantic leap, it flew across the wind; its dark flowing cape, billowing outwards, like the wings of a bat-winged demon across a pale moonlight sky. It then fell downwards into a tree, before flipping over a large metal gate, and landing gracefully onto the grassy grounds. Now on foot, the dark figure moved with the grace of an animal, converged in shadow. As the foreboding door of a derelict mansion came into sight, the strangers pace quickened, crossing the remaining distance with one perfectly executed somersault, and landing right in front of his destination.

**__**

Shinra Mansion.

The dark stranger knew that the doors of the mansion were unlocked. He did not need to test the handle to know this. Regardless of this knowledge, the stranger passed the main entrance, and instead, found his own _secret_ entrance.

His slim figure easily slipped through a broken window, and landed silently to the floor with the grace that no normal human could muster. Raising his head, the stranger's eyes searched across the floors of the empty hallway of the forgotten mansion.

He couldn't see anything..._unsettling_..

However, experience told him to stay alert.

Just because he could not see anything...that did not mean it _wasn't_ there.

His marauding eyes darted up the long winding staircase..

And his ears flickered from side to side, listening to the stillness around him.

Hearing nothing which caused him any alarm, the stranger's shoulders relaxed slightly.

His crimson eyes glimmered downwards, to the small package he held to his chest.

Food.

__

Stolen food.

For _her..._

The stranger sighed deeply.

**__**

Three days had passed since that _night._

He wiped his right hand across his vision, as if the action could swipe away the sins that had harvested themselves in his soul.

Metal shoes clinked quietly as the stranger crossed a barren hallway, thankfully bereft of a certain large monster carcass (1) that had bled onto the floorboards only three nights ago. _(The stranger decided to toss the dead body out into the garden, so that the scavengers wouldnt try to feast upon its rotten flesh within his presence.)_

The stranger shook his head at the memory, and ascended up the staircase.

With each step he took, the **_sound_** of _a heartbeat_ grew louder..

And the scent of**_ death_** grew stronger...

When reached the top, the stranger turned left and moved down the narrow hallway.

And it was here that the stranger paused...

There was another strange scent in the air...

It smelt of _tears_...

And something else...

A cloying sticky smell that tickled his nose.

Clouding his senses by its salty sweetness.

The stranger recognised it.

For he had tasted it before.

Blood..._dead blood._.

He could remember the way it stained his lips..

And trickled down his throat...

And if he closed his eyes...

He could almost _taste_ it on his tongue.

This scent...

It..._excited_ him.

His eyes gleamed a greedy crimson.

And his mouth opened to infest the flavour in his mouth.

But then, his jaw snapped shut, when he realised what he was doing.

The stranger inwardly flinched at his own reaction.

Disgust and shame filled his entire being.

He did not need to remind himself that he was no longer human.

For the demon inside of him would never let him _forget it_.

Shaking his head, the stranger continued down the hallway, following the scent of tears and blood, until he stopped at his final destination.

A closed door.

__

And what was hidden behind this door...?

The stranger planted his small package at the bottom of the door.

And then he raised his left hand.

And gently knocked the wooden surface.

Silence greeted him from the other side.

But the stranger was not surprised.

After all, he did not expect a response.

For in the last _three days_...

The door had **_never_** once been opened **_for_** him.

And the occupant inside had never said a single word.

Regardless, the _'**gifts'**_ he placed at its entrance eventually disappeared by the following day.

Whether they were used or consumed, the stranger did not know.

Sighing softly, the stranger raised his right hand to sweep through his long raven locks.

There was nothing more he could do...

And so...with one final sniff of the air..

And a undisguised shiver of disgust.

The stranger turned, and left.

It was only when the strangers footsteps faded to silence, and another distant door in the manor fell shut with a half audible click, did the large bulge in the bed decide to move. Slowly, a small delicate hand slithered out from beneath the dirty cream covers, followed by a pair of red rimmed eyes.

Then with a few more uneasy shuffles, the occupant's head peeped out from beneath the dusty bedding. Chestnut hair that once was thick and luscious, was now matted beyond all recognition of its former beauty; and skin that once was warm and bright, had now faded to an unhealthy pasty white.

When her bare feet slowly met the icy floorboards, her pale face jumped in surprise.

The brunette did not remember taking off her boots...

Rising to her feet, and standing in the large and empty bedroom in just a slim pink dress, the brunette stared blankly into the silent darkness which surrounded her. The only light was a thin slip of silver, peeking out from between a pair of closed curtains.

It seemed like it took forever, when the girl's sluggish body decided to cross to the other side of the darkened room. Her white small feet, shuffled across each and every floorboard, before stopping directly at the bedroom door.

Her clumsy fingers fumbled around the door handle, twisting the small knob in the wrong direction twice, before eventually turning it open with a loud and painful creak.

Dark green eyes peered out into the darkness of the corridors, before turning downwards to the doorstep.

She knew it was there, before she even saw it.

It was another _package._

The brunette dutifully picked up the item, and closed the door behind her.

She stared blankly at the package..

It was wrapped up in some form of white paper

And from its softness and texture.

It seemed like a bread loaf...

Or perhaps a cake...?

But to the brunette, the contents of the parcel did not matter.

For why would she care?

She wasn't hungry.

She did not think she could _ever_ be hungry again...

So with slow, practised steps, the brunette padded towards one corner of the darkened room and dropped the white parcel to the floor. It landed with a quiet thump on a bedding of other similarly coloured packages, that were just as equally _untouched_, as they were just as equally _unappreciated_.

The brunette couldn't understand why she was being given these 'gifts'. It wasn't like she asked for them.

__

For why would she want to eat?

Why would she need to drink?

When it would only serve to strengthen the demons inside her head at night.

Making her dreams more violent.

More frightful.

More tearful..

More painful..

And just...

Far more unbearable...to see.

The brunettes trembling white fingers moved upwards to cover eyes swollen from last night's tears.

__

She just wanted it to end..

She wanted to forget...

But no matter what she did.

She could not escape her thoughts of darkness...

She would always wake up screaming.

She would always end up crying.

And as the day continued on...she would always end up bleeding.

She still had five red streaks that had dried on both sides of her arms from the _first night_. Her chipped and broken fingernails scratched the nightmares onto her skin. It was not like she did it on purpose. All she had to do was close her eyes, and lose herself in her memories, and when she awoke...there would be another red gouge staining her broken flesh. It was as if her soul was sought out the pain of the body, in an attempt to forget the pain of the mind.

__

But no matter what she tried.

The brunette could not forget.

It only took one look at her blood encrusted fingernails...

To remind herself of her nightmare.

And the memory of **his** crimson life...

...trickling down her hands...

The brunette's feet moved across the cold floorboards, stopping only when she reached the side of the bed. Then suddenly, in one careless move, the brunette fell facedown upon the dirty sheets, not even wincing from the impact.

__

The brunette could not bear it anymore.

She couldn't stop thinking about it...

Of **him**...

And no matter how much she tried...

She could not stop the tears from coming.

They drenched her hands and skin.

Her pillows and blankets.

Filling them with the scent of her sorrow.

The brunette wrapped her limbs around her, so that her body resembled a tight ball of protection. Her head was mashed into her knees. Her fingers were wrapped around her ankles. Her shoulders shivered and shuddered and her spine constricted and contracted.

__

She just wanted to shut everything out.

To forget about everything...

But...

The more she tried to **not** think about it.

The more she remembered...

Her memories became **more** vivid in her mind.

They invaded her with their colours of death and madness.

Unlatching her from reality...

And ensnaring her heart and soul into the realms of insanity.

And so the brunette tried to escape away from the fear and madness.

By delving into the world of sleep.

But...

The more she dreamed.

The more the madness consumed her.

For the haunting images that invaded her head during the day.

Would be there to greet her in her nightmares.

__

His glowing green eyes...

and his kindness...

His saccharine smile...

and his darkness...

His _malicious laughter..._

and his madness...

She could not escape from her memories.

She could remember every thought and every feeling.

__

His long slender fingers...

...and his anger as they flashed across her skin.

His unearthly beauty...

...and his unearthly promise.

Of **eternity in death**...

Each image was burned inside her eyelids, and each word echoed inside her head.

Her hands clawed at the covers around her, before throwing it over her shivering figure, enshrouding her in her cloak of eternal solitude, trying to lose herself in her own darkness.

**__**

"You will come with me when I visit my Mother...tonight."

---

"You promised!"

"You promised me, damn you wench!"

---

**__**

"Aeris..."

"You may call me selfish..."

"...but I will have you by my side in the Neo Promised Land!"

---

**__**

"You give up eternity just because of your foolish mortal fear?"

---

**__**

"Why are you fighting me Aeris!"

"You are meant to be with me...not against me!"

"Tell me why! Why are you against me Aeris?"

---

**__**

"The life on this planet will soon be no more."

"The Cetra have passed judgement on this planet. "

"It will be cleansed from all its impurities. It will be avenged-"

---

**__**

"An organism that was apparently dead, was found..."

"... in a two thousand year old geological stratum to the North. "

"The organism that they found, was my Mother."

---

**__**

"Heh hah aha, Aeris, do you want to know what I still find so ironic?"

"That the weapon Shinra created to save themselves ..."

"Will in the end, be the same weapon that kills them!"

---

The brunette was lost and prey to the nightmares in her head.

She could not fight them.

And could **not** forget them.

She was at the mercy of her tortured dreams.

On the first and second night, the brunette vocalised her pain for the entire world to hear.

She wept and sobbed.

She screamed and cried.

She tossed books in the air.

And threw a wardrobe to the floor.

She pounded the bed.

And shattered a window.

But no matter what the brunette broke.

Or what she threw...

She could not free herself from her darkness.

It still consumed her.

It still owned her.

**__**

He still owned her...

And the more her tears poured, the more apparent it became...

She was a puppet to her emotions.

She was a puppet to her nightmares...

And only **_he_** had the power to stop them...

But...

The only one who could save her...

Was **_dead_**.

He had left her in the darkness.

In a void of madness...

with **_nothing_**...

...but her memories.

The brunette clenched her eyes shut so tightly, that she could see the threaded veins of her eyelids within her mental darkness.

She just wanted everything to go away.

The madness.

And the loss.

Her weakness.

And her pain.

The memories...

And her dreams.

Her thoughts..

And her feelings...

She wanted everything to go...

She wanted the sadness to end.

But much more than that...

Aeris _wanted_ to disappear.

A silent sob escaped her throat, as she curled her body inside the darkness of the room.

In her dreams, she saw the shades of green and silver, bathed in crimson.

****

Authors notes

Whew. The first chapter is finished.

Yeah yeah, I know what a lot of you guys must be thinking. Why was this chapter so short? Because I wanted it to be. I assume a lot of you guys who have read my works before know how infamously lazy I can become, so I promised myself that no matter how much I wrote, I would have it uploaded for the 4th of May. (Why the 4th of May, I have absolutely no idea...But um...yeah I guess I wanted to get the ball rolling and the ideas flowing). It seems Aeris is suffering a severe case of depression. Well...what do you expect? The man she loved had tried to kill her...and then died before her very eyes. I think anyone would be traumatised seeing THAT! Heh, I am still surprised at my own writing style for this chappie...it's just so...so poetically morbid and miserable, however I don't feel sad or miserable myself...On the contrary, I am quite happy at the moment. I got into my Uni. Birmingham Uni! English Literature and Language in Education! Whee! ;)

I can't wait till September...this gap year is so boooorrrrinngggg!

Oh and dont forget to review:)

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

Any questions? Comments? Feel free to contact me by email. Just click on my username at the top of the page, and you guys should know the rest:)

**__**

1- For you guys who havent read TLAA1, Aeris was chased and attacked by the infamous Chocobo eating looking creature in the Shinra hallway (yep the same one that is in the safe with the key)...and Sephiroth killed it. (Skewered from head to toe, if you want the specifics.)

**__**

P.S

**__**

Have any of you guys listened to the DOC soundtrack yet? I dunno why but the main prelude theme sounds like the Inuyasha main theme. Weird. I know.

And what do you guys think of the dubbed version of FF7AC? I burst out laughing when I first heard Yazoo's. It just...not right. And then Seph. He sounded too much like a good-guy. I prefer the evil Naraku voice instead. But alas, it could have been worse, it could have been Paul Dobson. I would have cried if that wooden robot did the voice of Sephy. I thought Vinnie's voice was a little too deep and harsh to listen to. I thought he would be the soft and whispery type...a mumbler if you will. But I guess that is just my opinion. Heh. Oh and Cait Sith's VA. He sounded half irish, half scottish! And as for Cid...I never knew he was a yankee. lol. But other than that, I think the other's were good. Steve Burton makes a good Cloud, no?


	2. Tears of a piano

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**Words 4168**

**15 pages**

**Chapter 2 Tears of a piano**

**Disclaimer**

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)

**Author's Notes**

**Hey you guys! I'm back! Hah! I'm really on the role now! I refuse to submit to my laziness! Muahahahaha!**

**-Coughs-**

**Ahem.**

**I was asked one question about 'when Kadaj will be brought into the story'. Well...lets just say that there will be a few more chappies to go before I invite him in. Aeris has to meet up with Cloudy and co first. Hmm, as for the other questions regarding Kaddy's purpose in this fic, I'm gonna be mean and keep it a secret for now... Heh... Lets just say its gonna be shocking (most especially to you chocobo lovers out there!). Muahahahaha! I think I'm going insane! Heh. I guess you'll guys have to wait to find out what will happen.**

**Hn, I think I have mentioned this in the past, but I have had this sequel of TLAA in my head for a long **_**long**_** time. However I must admit that I never planned the 'mystery' character to be Kadaj...but ever since FF7AC came out last September, I thought, wow, he's totally perfect for my story! LOL. Although, I think Riku would have been really cool too!**

**LOL...**

**Hnn. As for my musical muse to day. I guess its my usual dark/morbid stuff...or anime/RPG themes and titles. I simply cannot live without them! . Oh and of course the new FF7AC soundtrack. Gods. That CD is wonderful! **

**-Aer-seph bows down to the power of Uematsu's music-**

**But ah...**

**I should stop writing this AN, for this story won't write itself.**

**On with the fic!**

_**Somewhere along the Southwest plains... **_

"Ah I really can't believe you Cloud!" Yuffie whined, as she gazed out of the window of their tin-can machine (aka the moving red buggy).

"------"

"Why did you wake us all up so early?"

"------"

" I'm ti-red!"

"------"

"And it's not even dawn yet!"

"------"

The blond swordsman sighed, and tried to focus on the road in front of him. He really was not in the mood to deal with a certain annoying ninja today, and her pile of incessant questions.

"Hey! Cloud! Wouldn't it have been smarter to stay in Cosmo Canyon til morning, rather than drive around in the pitch black?" The teen exclaimed, annoyed with how her 'leader' refused to respond to her.

"_Yuffie_.. " Tifa warned softly, as she stared at the young teen who was lounging lazily in the seat behind her. "Remember who our leader is here."

"Yeah, so what?" the teen asked sharply. "Just because he's our leader, that doesn't stop him from thinking of stupid ideas! Last night we defeated a whole entire cave of dead warriors in that stupid Gi place, and now we are all back on the road with no proper rest? Is blondie here trying to kill us! I've barely had a single wink of sleep!" Yuffie cried out, emphasising her point with a jaw popping yawn.

"Then go to sleep now, ya silly foo!" Barret growled out from behind the ninja, fed up with the girl's antics. "Spiky is tryin to drive and the last thing he needs is a brat like you whinging in his ear."

The teen glared at the burly gun-man as if he was the source of all her misery.

"But how can anyone sleep in here? This buggy is so uncomfortable-" the ninja moaned as she rubbed her lean body against the scratchy seats. "-and it doesn't help that Cloud can't drive properly!" Yuffie yelled over her shoulder, seeing the blond's posture tense in response. "Sheesh. Why do you have to choose such a bumpy path blondie? Don't you know that I suffer from _severe motion sickness_!"

"Yuffie."

The ninja paused her rant, to slide her eyes to the large red beast laying down across from her her.

Red shook his head, as he opened one sleepy eye at the loud ninja. "Maybe it would be wise to follow Barret's advice and rest for now," he stated calmly, watching as Yuffie turned her head around to blow a raspberry in his direction.

"Bah! Everyone is missing the point!" the teen sighed loudly, as her face contorted into a childish pout. "Nobody deserves to be thrown out of bed in the wee hours of the morning, and expected to be carted around like a sardine in a tin can and-"

Yuffie continued on and on, much to the misfortune of the other Avalanche members inside.

"-and he didn't even wake us up nicely! Who does he think he is, an army sergeant? Just because you are a Shinra Soldier boy, that doesn't mean we have to work by the same army clock, and..."

Barret and Red groaned to themselves. It was far too early to deal with the boisterous brat today.

Tifa frowned, but made no comment to the ninja's rants. Even she had to admit that she was a little surprised when Cloud decided to set off to Nibelheim so quickly. They had all just fought off reams and reams of monster from the cave of the Gi tribe only a few hours before, so everyone was still recovering from the tiring battles, herself included. It would have made sense to follow Yuffie's plan, but Cloud seemed adamant about leaving before sunrise, so Tifa couldn't find it in herself to complain, especially with the way that her leader was acting.

Cloud looked troubled.

And although no-one else had seemed to notice.

Tifa did.

The blond's face seemed flat and expressionless.

His skin looked paler... if not a little sickly.

And he was so silent.

Not that Cloud was a chatter bunny, of course, but he was usually quiet. Not_mute_.

He wasn't even responding to Yuffie's insults about his poor driving skills either.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked softly, leaning from her seat to place a consoling hand on the blond's left shoulder. "Are you alright?"

It took an unnatural sum of time for the blond to respond to her question.

And when he did, his answer was voiceless.

He tiredly nodded his head, and kept his eyes to the road.

The brunette bit her lip, and slowly removed her arm back to her side.

Tifa knew what Cloud was trying to do.

He was trying to block out his surroundings...

And pretend that nothing was wrong...

But what Cloud did not realise..

That the more he tried to act like nothing was wrong.

Only highlighted the fact that there **was** something wrong!

_'I guess...Cloud doesn't want to talk...'_ Tifa mused sadly, as she focussed her entire gaze on the silent blond, and ignored the cries of her other rowdy companions around her.

_'I guess he is worried about going to Nibelheim...'_

_'About returning home..'_

_'...and if __**he**__ will be waiting for us...'_

_'...and if __**she**__ will be with __**him.**__...'_

The brunette's stomach muscles tightened in knots and bows.

_'Aeris...'_

The brunette's mind retraced itself back to Midgar, trying to remember the first time she met the pretty, petite brunette in the Corneo mansion, with a crossed-dressed Cloud at her side. Cloud had told her, that he first met Aeris when he fell from Sector five and landed inside her church. She have never thought anything of it before but...Tifa began to truly wonder. She remembered the way the green eyed girl bantered with her childhood friend at that time. It was almost flirtatious in manner.

The brunette's brows furrowed.

_'Cloud...'_

_'What does Aeris mean to you...?'_

She worried at the possibilities.

A slight spike of envy jumped within the brunette's chest as her mind began to think unsavoury ideas as to why Cloud had been so protective of the Midgian flower-girl...

If Cloud had only met her in Midgar...Why did he become...so...so attached to her on their first meeting? And why did Cloud let Aeris follow him in the first place? It wasn't like she was a fighter or anything? She looked like she had never seen a battle before, let alone have the strength to survive one.

Why did Shinra want her?

And why did Sephiroth want her?

What was so 'special' about her that could make...Cloud want her..?

Tifa quickly suppressed her last thought, ashamed at herself for thinking such ill-willed things about a girl who was quite possibly in terrible danger.

_'Yes...Cloud has every right to be worried for Aeris.'_

_'Especially if she is with __**him**__...'_

_'Sephiroth...'_

'------_'_

_'If any god can hear me...Please I beg of you...'_

_'...Please don't let Sephiroth meet us in Nibelheim. Please let him not be there. Please, please please-'_

The brunette was broken from her silent prayers when a flash of gold passed her vision, and hit the back of her blond leader's head.

"Ow! What the hell?" Cloud cursed in surprise, wincing and swerving the buggy in surprise from the unexpected attack.

"Serves you right for not listening to me!" Yuffie snapped cheekily, as she hoisted her small bag of gil in her lap, tempted to throw another one of her prized coins. "It's rude not to listen to someone while they speak!"

The blond briefly threw an incredulous look at the ninja behind him, before fastening his eyes on the road, clearly annoyed that the girl had broken his earlier chain of thought, and had the audacity to hit him.

"But isn't it more rude to attack someone in the back?" Red questioned wisely, voicing the thought that every member of Avalanche (sans Yuffie) were thinking at that very moment.

"Well yeah..." The ninja responded with a careless shrug. "But Cloud should be more courteous to his team-mates! Just because he can live without sleep, that doesn't me we can too!"

_"...Brat..."_ Cloud muttered to himself, as he clenched his fingers around the driving wheel and moved the buggy around a particularly nasty turn across the mountain sides. He could not explain to them why he felt the need to set off so early. It was just...instinct. There was something in the back of his head was telling him to hurry. Something was telling him that he needed to get to Nibelheim _now_!

_A pretty pink dressed flower-girl filled his vision._

_Which changed to the image of a wickedly sharp sword in the hands of a murderous lunatic..._

And Cloud could only think the worst.

He swiftly changed gears and pushed the buggy onwards for all its worth

It only seemed like minutes, when another gil piece was thrown at his head.

"Hey!"

"Yuffie! Stop that!" Tifa reprimanded sharply, looking at her blond leader in concern.

"Hey! I'm doing everyone a favour!" The ninja chortled. "By doing this, Spiky can't fall asleep at the wheel, and then none of us will have to die a boring and pointless death!"

"Yuffie!" Tifa exclaimed in growing anger, as she whipped her head around to glare at the younger girl. "How can you just sit there and insult Cloud like that?"

"Well if he didn't kick us out of bed then I wouldn't be acting like this. It isn't like we are in the Shinra army!"

Tifa's defensive side took over. "Just because you are tired Yuffie, that does not give you the right to take it out on Cloud or any of us!"

The ninja looked ready to fight back, but the Zangan fighter beat her to the punch.

"Remember who decided to join who Yuffie! Cloud could have said no to you, after all of the trouble you caused us in Costa Del Sol," Tifa stated heatedly, as her brain flashed back to the beach resort town and the humiliation and anger of being called a 'prostitute' by a certain grey eyed ninja; not to mention another embarrassing scene, when they had to run away from their hotel room because the same ninja destroyed their rental suite.

She was about to chew the girl out, when her leader's passive voice sifted through the air.

"Tifa."

Her warm brown eyes darted towards her childhood companion.

"That is enough," Cloud commanded quietly, leaving no room for argument.

The brunette's face shifted into a look of confusion. Why did the blond not want her to defend him?

"But Cloud.." Tifa began, but one look from the blond was enough to silence her thoughts.

The Wutainese ninja smirked nastily at the dark haired fighter, amused at seeing Tifa's being thwarted by the blond

And then the buggy's companions settled back into silence...

And time continued on..

Second after crawling second.

Minute after crawling minute.

Hour after crawling **hour**...

Eventually the sun began its slow ascent from beneath the horizon.

Rising upwards to create a perfect day.

And then Yuffie broke the silence.

"Cloud?"

The blond sighed. Why didn't she just go to _sleep_?

"-you still haven't told me, why you woke us up so early?"

"------"

"Why are you pushing us so hard? It's not like that old backwater town's gonna blow-up if we arrive a few hours later than intended?"

"That is enough Yuffie," Cloud muttered in exasperation, although there was no bite to his tone. "We're here."

"Wha?" The teen blinked, as she felt the buggy shudder and pull to a careful stop.

"Huh?...we're here?" Yuffie asked in bemusement, as she stared out of her window. All she could see was Grass. Trees. Skies. Lands... No town. No city...

She was about to voice her confusion to the rest of her team members...

But that was when she turned her gaze to the front window.

"…….."

The heaven's above were peppered with the early stars in the morning, shaded in hues of violet and bronzed silver. The early sun's light had just risen over the horizon, and had cast its early light upon a small _**town**_, hidden between the greying shadows of the high peaked mountains.

"Oh..."

Yuffie could think of nothing more to say..

But then loud gasp sounded from in front of her, and the teen's grey eyes turned to Tifa, whose face had turned a rather fascinating shade of white.

And in one unexpected move, that stunned everyone around, Tifa leapt out her seat and dashed out of the buggy, sprinting across the grass and straight towards the very same town in the distance..

"Tifa!" Barret and Cloud bellowed out in alarm as they watched the brunette's figure disappear in sight. Quickly unbuckling their seats, and locking the buggy behind them, Cloud and his companions raced after their dark haired friend.

---

In all honesty, Tifa had no idea what to expect when she returned to her hometown of Nibelheim. Would she see the broken skeletons of half burnt buildings? Unburied bodies littering the ground? She expected to see something horrible! Something awful!

But she never expected to see...well...this!

Tifa gaped around in unmasked horror.

The town looked the same as she remembered it.

Every nook and cranny.

From the buildings to the water tower.

Everything was exactly the same...

It was as if the nightmare had never happened.

She could even see her house.

And Cloud's home too!

The inn and the sweet shop!

The butcher's and the haberdasher!

Everything was as she remembered to the precise detail.

And it made the brunette eyes well up in tears.

"What...what is going on...?" She whispered softly.

It was like she was revisiting a dream of the past.

"Tifa!"

She whipped her head around to see her blond leader speeding towards her, and the rest of her team jogging slowly behind him.

"Cloud!" the brunette gasped as he waited for the blond to reach her, .

"Tifa!" Cloud called, stopping right at her side, not a single bit out of breath. "Why did you-" the blond began before pausing mid-sentence as his mako tainted eyes stared around at the 'familiar' building surrounding him.

"Huh?"

The blond was equally dumb stricken and pale faced at what he could see.

Nibelheim; his hometown. The town where the nightmare began. The town that he knew had been burned to the ground five years ago...was now un-burnt and char-free.

The brunette shook her head anxiously. "Cloud...How...? how...can this be?" she gasped softly as she turned to her childhood friend for assistance.

Mako blue eyes stared back at the Zangan fighter with the same amount of confusion and worry. "I...I don't know Tifa."

"Hey Teef, why did ya run off, eh?" Barret panted loudly, as he and the rest of the team finally reached Cloud and Tifa. "Were you 'dat excited to go home that you couldn't wait for da rest of us?"

The brunette slowly turned her head, and stared at the burly gunman. She did not bother to hide the tears that filled her vision.

"Huh? Hey, what's wrong Teef?" Barret questioned, puzzled as to why Tifa could act so upset and unsettled, especially since she was never the type to be overly emotional.

Seeing that Tifa made no motion to speak, the gunman's eyes moved towards his leader's.

"Hey Cloud, what's wrong with Tifa?" Barret asked with obvious concern and worry.

"Barret..." Cloud began, unsure of what to say.

"It _**burned**_..."

Three pairs of eyes turned towards the stark faced brunette.

"It's not possible... Everything burned," Tifa continued in a whisper, as tears of disbelief threatened to drip down her cheeks.

Barret, Yuffie and Red stared at the brunette in wide eyed befuddlement.

_'Was she going mad?' _

"I saw it burn. I remember. There was fire and smoke. No-one survived. But then how...why...?" she voiced weakly.

Tifa was on the verge of hyperventilation. Her wet, brown eyes flittered towards her blond leader. "Cloud, our home burned right? You remember...right?"

The blond nodded uneasily, finding it difficult to answer such a heartfelt question. "Yes, I remember." The blond whispered softly, as he took in the town for himself.

"But then why...why is it still standing?" Tifa questioned softly. "Why can I see the water-tower? Why can I see your house and mine? Why does it look the same?"

Cloud and Tifa did not understand what was going on.

Nothing was making sense.

They were standing in a town, that should have been burnt earth and ash.

The rest of Avalanche sent uneasy looks at one another, totally at loss of what to do.

Eventually the silence was broken by the leader.

"Lets take a look around everyone, maybe we can find someone who knows what happened here," Cloud stated quietly, unable to shake off the nervous waver to his voice.

Four pairs of eyes stared as Cloud began to move towards the Nibelheim Inn.

And then began to silently follow him from behind.

But then the blond paused mid stride.

"But don't forget you guys," Cloud added softly, as he looked at his companions in tow. "We all need to be on the lookout for Aeris...and for... _Sephiroth_. We have to stay on our guard."

Then with that, Cloud turned and went inside the Inn, leaving the blank faces of his companions behind.

**Shinra Mansion...**

She was awoken from her slumber by the sound of music.

Rubbing her swollen eyes, the brunette tried to shift her brain back to consciousness, while listening to the faint tinkling of sound rising from beneath the floorboards.

_'Huh...?'_

_'Isn't that the sound...'_

_'..of a piano...?'_

Aeris blinked in bemusement, as she focussed her entire senses to listening the piano sounds, registering each note into the recesses of her mind.

The music filled the silence of her room.

It was gentle.

Calm..

Soothing..

Enshrouding the brunette with dreamless thoughts.

And awaking her spirit to soulless thinking.

It was mysteriously haunting.

Each piercing note, voiced a single tragedy in a foreign language that music could only write.

And despite its theme of sadness.

Aeris thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

It was a gentle rhapsody flowing with expression.

The brunette sighed as she let the music sink into her bones.

The notes were simple, almost to a level of being painstakingly so. It was as if the piece was played by one hand...and had no partner to share its bittersweet melody.

But to Aeris, in her state of depression, it was perfect.

The gentle sounds matched her thoughts and feelings that were wrapped within her soul.

The music was so sad...so lonely... ...and instead of drowning within the misery of the piece, Aeris instead felt like she was floating across the bittersweet melody.

It was as if the music...understood her.

It lulled her, hypnotising her with its mystifying power.

Slowly slipping off the bed, Aeris moved forward and opened the door, inviting the lugubrious lullaby into her empty room.

But then...the music came to a sudden stop.

And the mansion's walls became silent once more.

The brunette frowned weakly. She was already missing the sound.

She hoped that the music would begin once more.

She wanted to hear more. She needed to hear that bittersweet melody once more.

And as if the gods above had answered her prayer, the same gentle music began to play once more.

Aeris' lips curled upwards, into the barest shadow of a smile.

The music was really beautiful...

She thought she could listen to it forever...

Aeris was unaware of the moment her bare feet had left the sanctions of her room. But soon she found herself padding quietly across the hallways. Her body glided down the winding staircase like a ghost, barely oblivious to her surroundings, as she crossed the main hallway and opened up a door that she had never noticed before.

The wondrous music grew even louder.

The brunette turned left and moved towards the door.

She knew that the source of the melody was in the next room.

And her hand was on the handle, and she was just about to turn it.

But then, Aeris stopped.

The brunette never thought that someone could be present to make such beautiful music. It never even crossed her head.

All light-headedness and innocent thinking fled away with that realisation.

And Aeris wrapped her red streaked arms around herself.

The idea that someone was beyond that single portal.

It frightened her..

She.…she couldn't move...

She did not want to...

If someone was in there...

She did not want to see them...

And...

She did not want them to see her...

For she was so weak...

And pathetic...

And useless...

And broken...

And...

Alone?

Aeris' breath hitched upwards.

_'Alone...'_

Of all the nightmares and memories that ravaged her head over the passing nights.

That was one thought that had never crossed her mind.

'I'm _alone_...?'

And the more Aeris thought about it...

The more she realised that it was true...

She had _no-one_.

Fate had stripped everyone away from her...

Everyone she once cared for...

Had now left her life and returned to the planet.

Her mother...

Her father..

_Zack_...

and...

_Him..._

The only person who could have ever understood her.

Who accepted her differences.

Who had accepted who she was.

Who fed her strength...

And gave her hope..

The only person she had ever truly loved.

Was _**gone**_...

And with that realisation, Aeris slid to the floor, and silently cried.

The brunette did not hear the music stop.

Nor did she notice the 'closed door' open.

But what she did notice...

Was when a pair of black clad arms wrapped around her small body...

And picked her off the cold wooden floor.

_'Black...black leather...?'_

Green eyes bulged in horror.

And her body went as brittle as a board.

_'Sephiroth!'_

She could not move.

She could not think.

Her mouth widened to release a silent scream of horror.

_'He's alive...'_

Fear and happiness; madness and sadness exploded like colours in her mind, as she felt her body being carried through the portal that she did not dare cross before.

_'He's here...'_

_'Oh God...he's here...'_

_'__**He**__ has returned...and-'_

_'and...'_

_'-he's returned to kill me!'_

The brunette's body instantly became slack with the horrific revelation, and then her eyes rolled into the back of their sockets...

"------"

Aeris had fainted.

"------"

Vincent stared down at the girl, lying unconscious in his arms.

He then raised his head to the heavens and sighed deeply.

_'Lucrecia, give me strength...'_

**Author's notes.**

**Kweh! This chapter was short, but I wrote all this in a single day! Whew, fifteen chapters in one sitting...I think my eyes are going fuzzy now...lol. Awww... I love teasing Cloud...Probably a little too much. Poor guy...**

**Oh and please don't forget to review! You never know, I may decide to pull another speedy update!**

**Ja ne**

**Aer-seph4eva**

**Any questions or comments? Feel free to email me. My address is just a mere click away. lol.**


	3. Contemplation of Sin

****

To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story

Words 6323

****

Chapter 3 Contemplation of Sin

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind ;)

Author's Notes

Heh heh he... I really am pulling out all the stops! My fingers just won't stop writing! Hm, I guess it's because my chapters all rather short, and so I am urging myself to write even more! But ah...when Kadaj enters the scene, I guess all of my speedy typing will go straight down the pan. lol. He really is a complex character to write. However he is extremely exciting! Even I get surprised with the stuff I have planned out for him! He's crude yet childish! Agile yet brutal. He's made up of so many complexities! Gah! My hands are itching to include him in this story right away. However, I have to remember to pace myself. As much as I love Kaddy, I still need to get the backdrop of the beginning just right. After all, this is no PWP, and I'm not gonna turn this fic into one anytime soon. But hehe...I really can't wait for you guys to meet my version of Kadaj...He will be not like anything you could ever imagine, especially with the way that I will use him, Muahahahaha! ;) Heh. I think you should blame the music I listen to, it really does make me insane...No really, it does!

****

Um but yeah, Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm glad you guys are all enjoying this. Oh for you guys that don't review...thanks for reading anyway. It's nice to know that I have got some silent supporters out there. lol.

Um...Ahem...

As for the previous chapter, I received one email questioning what piano music Aeris was listening to. Well... since I have been listening to Lucrecia's theme on the Dirge of Cerberus soundtrack, I just thought wow... if Vincent could play the piano, that would be the piece that he would play! lol. But ah, its up to you guys what you want the music to be...The infamous Aeris theme? Vincent's theme? Whatever floats your boat! Just remember, that the piano in the mansion is missing half its keys, so it can't be a Beethoven masterpiece or anything! Something relatively simple. lol.

Oh btw, what do you guys think of these shortened chapters? Would you rather me upload longer chapters that may take an extended amount of time, or do you prefer these short quickie ones? I'm fairly curious...because I prefer writing long because it adds to the suspense and climax...but I guess the short uploads can be exciting too, with their sharp endings and alarming cliff-hangers! So send me your preferences through your reviews and I'll see what I can do.

Heh.

But enough with my rants.

On with the fic!

__

Everything he had done in the past could not measure to the sin that he had committed three nights ago, and the gunman would have wept in shame... that is... if his body had not forgotten how to cry.

__

: To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story

"------"

Vincent stared down at the girl, lying unconscious in his arms.

He then raised his head to the heavens and sighed deeply.

__

'Lucrecia, give me strength...'

The Ex-Turk eventually turned his gaze back towards the brunette, while silently contemplating his next actions.

It seemed that he only had two choices.

One...

He could carry the girl back to her room to sleep.

Or two.

He could deposit her in one of the nearby chairs in the entertaining room, and wait for her to reawaken. Vincent knew that choice one, certainly had good merits. He was sure the brunette would be much more comfortable resting in a bed, rather than one of the dusty chairs; and since the girl had stayed in the same room for the past few days, it seemed it would be more preferable for her if she were to wake up in her own recognisable surroundings, rather than somewhere she did not expect.

However...

Vincent began to truly wonder..

If he sent the girl back to that room...would that be the right decision...?

Vincent was sure that the girl would lock herself inside..

And would never try to leave her room again.

"- - - - -"

And Vincent knew he could not let that happen... Because he knew the girl had not been eating. He could tell by simply holding her; and the Ex-Turk knew, that if he were to carry the girl back to her room; back to her solitary prison, the brunette would let her body deteriorate into illness; and with her mind as unstable as it is, the results of those added combinations would be fatal.

"- - - - - "

And then Vincent's gaze fell upon the jagged, red scratches which crisscrossed all over the brunette's pale arms.

The gunman's dark brows furrowed downwards, and his crimson eyes narrowed.

He did not remember seeing those marks before...

__

'Which would mean...'

'She has been hurting herself...'

Vincent released yet another painful sigh at the realisation, and his face contorted into a look of such inconsolable pity.

It seemed fate had made the decision for him.

With four long strides, the crimson cloaked figure carried the unconscious girl across the entertainment hall, and carefully placed her on one of the lightly dusted leather suites, positioned beneath a large stained glass window that filled the room with hues of soft, iridescent light. As Vincent carefully pulled his arms away from her, he moved backwards to take in the girl's entire appearance.

Vincent watched as the girl's head lolled to the side, revealing a wide stretch of white skin that made her neck appear unnaturally long.

To another onlooker, the girl could have been considered for _dead_.

However, the brunette's pulse was still rising.

If only barely...

But to Vincent, a man who had experienced death all throughout his life, the faintest sign of 'breath' was all that mattered.

For it proved to him, that the girl was still _alive_...

"- - - - -"

Lying on the dark crimson fabric; the brunette's delicate skin appeared so very pale. The coloured flecks of light from the window above glowed across her small frame, layering her body in rays of unearthly hues of golden amber; highlighting her hair in warm shades of auburn red, and adding false colour onto her passively white cheeks.

"- - - - -"

Vincent did not know how long he stared at the girl.

Simply watching...

...simply waiting for the moment...

... when the sleeping maiden would awaken...

"- - - - -"

Vincent was not aware of the moment his body moved by its own accord to stand over her...

Simply staring...

At this girl...

This woman...

Who was beautiful...

Who was as beautiful as **she** was...

__

'Both equally as beautiful...but...both as equally broken...'

A slight, yet painful twinge throbbed inside the gunman's left breast.

Vincent felt his face mellow downwards into the expression of the most deepest sorrow.

It was almost...unbearable...the similarities that he could see...between them.

And then the gunman's dark crimson eyes flickered back to the girl's heavily scratched arms. Vincent knew that if they were not bandaged soon, that they would most likely become infected. But the gunman doubted that he could find anything in the mansion which could be of any use to cleanse her skin. He knew he could always could go outside and search the town for the medical supplies he needed. However, since the sun had risen to morning, Vincent knew that it would be much more difficult to snatch the items he wanted, whilst remaining undetected by the early rising villagers...

But...Vincent knew...

That those long, red scratches...

Would inevitably scar across her flesh...

Marring the girl's _innocence_ for the rest of her life..

"- - - - -"

And Vincent did not want that to happen.

For he believed that an innocent like her, did not deserve to suffer.

Her soul was not stained in the blackness of sin, such as he.

And so his heart ached to rid the girl of her crimson scars...

"- - - - -"

The Ex-Turk felt his right hand move towards the girl before his mind allowed it.

And as his body leaned forwards...

The Ex-Turk paused.

He could smell it...

Her blood.

His fingers were so close to _touching it_...

And his mouth was so close to **_tasting it..._**

Vincent stumbled backwards, almost tripping over the seat behind him in pure alarm. The demons inside of him had reawakened. He knew they were trying to chip away at his soul. He could hear their whispering voices in his head. They were urging him to touch it. To claim her innocent blood for his own. To feel her bitter-sweetness trickling into his mouth, and let its crimson stickiness slosh around inside his starved insides.

The Ex-Turk clenched his eyes shut, biting his lip until he could taste the flavour of his own blood coating his tongue.

His inner **_Chaos_** was trying to consume him.

Vincent raised his clawed hand to his temples, trying to focus on the simple act of breathing. He would not let the demons win. He would not let their madness control him. He could feel his own blood, frothing inside his body; heating and bubbling by the heat of his living nightmares.

But Vincent still refused to give in.

He would not submit to their darkness.

He thought of his _angel_ to calm him..

He tried to picture her white innocence...

And her soft smile...

And as her face appeared in his mind, Vincent raging needs began to lessen...

However, **_Chaos_** refused to give up so easily.

And their voices grew louder. Wailing and screaming. Groaning and whining. They were so desperate to be free.

The demons refused to **_give up..._**

But Vincent refused to **_give in..._**

The gunman was deeply panting now.

Beads of wet perspiration glinted on his face, causing the crimson cloth around his temple to stick uncomfortably against his skin.

He bared his teeth in agony, as he felt his control slowly slip away...

The pain Vincent was feeling now...it was almost unbearable...

__

'No...no! I can't let them win...'

His crimson eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of orbs, warped in the glowing shades of molten lava. And then his nightmarish vision fell across the dark haired, sleeping beauty.

And for one moment, the battle in the gunman's mind stopped.

He stared at her innocence.

And at her weakness...

And at her purity...

And then finally at her crimson scratches...

That were created...by **_his sins._**

That stark realisation was all it took for Vincent to gain the upper hand; and with a monstrous push of energy, Vincent forced **_Chaos_** backwards, stopping his attack only when their voices in his head were finally suppressed once more.

"Ugh..."

Vincent dropped his golden hand at his side, and drew his right hand to cradle his damp face. His body was still trembling from the after affects. His nerves were flickering and twitching, and so the gunman carefully fell backwards into one of the empty crimson chairs, waiting for the trembling aftermath to fade.

And as he waited

Vincent wondered.

He knew that he had not felt an 'attack' like that in years...

And the last time it had occurred...

It was when he had that certain dream of her...

Of that night when he saw his _beloved_ Lucrecia lying across the floor.

Motionless...and...**_lifeless..._**

And seeing...and **_feeling_** that fatal gunshot to his heart...

And _'his' _smirking face.. staring down upon him so smugly...

"- - - - -"

Vincent clenched his eyes shut, letting the final wave of pain cross through his aching limbs.

And then it was gone...

The Ex-Turk sighed weakly, and covered his tired eyes with his black gloved fingers.

Vincent knew that his nightmares ruled his entire being...

And he knew, that some day, his past would end up destroying the rest of his soul.

That is...if his demon **_Chaos_** didn't get claim it first.

The Ex-Turk released a small murky laugh, seeped thickly by the sound of his undying misery. Vincent always found it ironically amusing, how he could always find some form of humour, at the expense of his own suffering...

**__**

"Sephiroth... please..."

The gunman's head whipped around in surprise, and fastened his narrowed eyed gaze on the brunette's trembling form.

__

'Had the girl awakened?'

****

"I...I...don't want...t-to...die..."

Vincent's expression softened in sadness. The girl was talking in her sleep, lost in her nightmares of that night.

It seemed like her sadness was reaching out towards him...

And the Ex-Turk could do nothing more than embrace it, adding the girl's trauma upon his pile of unforgivable sins.

He knew that it was the least he could do.

Because Vincent knew, that he was to blame for the girl's suffering.

For if he had truly protected _her._

Lucrecia...

His one true love..

Then she would not have died...

And then her son would have never condemned himself into _eternal damnation._

And this girl...would have no reason to be sad.

Vincent sighed, and scraped a gloved hand through his long hair.

It was his fault.

It was _always_ his fault.

So many people had suffered...

And it was always due to that same _mistake_.

By failing to save his beloved, he had stolen away the innocence of so many lives...

And Vincent knew that someday, he had to pay the price for all of his eternal sins...

The Ex-Turk slowly let his mind fall back to that day...three days before...

When he heard the faint click of the door..

And heard the name...

The name of his beloved's son...

On the lips of a stranger...

He remembered thinking that it was all a dream...

But when he heard the door fall shut...

And a pair of footsteps fade away to silence..

He realised that he wasn't dreaming.

He remembered peering around in the darkness of his crypt. Sitting inside his coffin, his wide crimson eyes gazed at an 'open' door that had been locked for almost thirty years.

He remembered the surprise; the confusion, and the questions that had filled his mind.

__

Who were these strange people who knew the child of his beloved?

And did they know her...Did they know of his Lucrecia?

It was at that moment, for the first time in thirty years, that Vincent Valentine had willingly stepped out of his bed of satin, and left his tomb of darkness to find the answers to his undying questions. But Vincent knew, that the answers he found, were far from what he had expected.

"- - - - -"

He remembered how he followed his targets by scent and sound, using his enhanced senses to find them before they even left the gates of the mansion.

And that was when he saw _him_..

Even though he had only seen his beloved's son as a baby, nearly thirty years ago.

Vincent knew that the black caped man...with the strange white hair...

Was Sephiroth...

He was Lucrecia's flesh and blood.

But when Vincent saw the woman standing beside the son of his beloved...

He thought he was looking into a memory of the past.

__

'When I first saw her...'

'I thought it was really her...'

'My beloved Lucrecia...'

But the more he watched her...the more he realised...

That the girl standing at Sephiroth's side..

Was too young...

She was much too young...to be his beloved Lucrecia.

And yet... even now, Vincent could not deny how the girl looked so much like her...

Like an angel garbed in pure innocence.

From her hair...to her figure...

Her eyes...and her smile...

The gunman sighed sadly.

"- - - - - "

Vincent remembered how he silently followed the pair into Nibelheim. His skills as a Turk made him appear like a faded shadow to the rest of the town. And all the while, he had watched and observed, as the pair travelled around each street, buying random knickknacks and bits from shop to shop. He listened to their banter, and watched the way they smiled at one another, seeming mostly oblivious to the world around them.

And that was when Vincent saw...

The gentle warmth...

In the eyes of his beloved's son as he held the hand of the girl beside him.

The sight had truly amazed him...

For he knew he was staring at a couple in love.

Vincent remembered the moment when the pair left Nibelheim, and turned towards the grey peaked mountains.

He remembered wondering at that time why Sephiroth would take his love (from which he overheard her name as Aeris) to a place so dangerously infested with monsters when it was getting so dark...

It seemed like suicide...

But after seeing the skill of Sephiroth first hand against the weak slurry of creatures that invaded their path...Vincent understood that there was no reason to worry. It seemed that Lucrecia's child had truly became the Super-SOLDIER that Shinra had always dreamed of. But the gunman couldn't help but feel a little saddened by that thought.

And then Vincent remembered how he followed them pair inside the Nibel reactor.

And that was when the impossible happened.

The child that was born from an _angel_...

Had transformed himself into the **_devil!_**

Vincent still could not believe how he watched Sephiroth try to kill a girl he was so obviously enamoured with! When the gunman first saw the swordsman draw his sword against the girl's neck, Vincent stood there in complete disbelief, alarmed by the sudden turn of events and the horrific debacle that was occurring below him. Without looking, his fingers had drew out his quicksilver. However, before he could point his gun to take sufficient aim, Sephiroth had paused his attack, and the dark haired woman had retaliated in a verbal onslaught. At that time, Vincent could do little more than watch and listen, far too shocked to do anything more. But when he saw Sephiroth leap and raise his sword downwards into a fatal arc. Instinct had not given the Ex-Turk a chance to pause in hesitation.

As so he aimed and fired.

Firing bullet after bullet.

Shot after shot.

And even though he was shooting at _her_ blood

Vincent couldn't let another innocent suffer.

"- - - - -"

The Ex-Turk remembered the moment he carried the girl's unconscious body out of the reactor, unable to focus on a single path of thought, as he flew down the Nibel mountains. The rest of the journey was but a blur to him as he raced to the first and only place that he could think of for safety.

**__**

The Shinra Mansion...

Vincent barely remembered placing the brunette onto one of the beds, before racing back outside, feeling more beast and man, even though Chaos had remained oddly silent. He remembered how he dashed back to the reactor, leaping over the rail and falling to the lower platform, ready to carry his beloved's son's dead body back with him, and give him the burial, that a child of his beloved could only deserve.

But as his golden boots landed to the floor, Vincent could not believe what he saw.

Sephiroth's body was **gone**, leaving no trace other than a long slippery path of red footsteps which suddenly stopped halfway across the bridge.

"- - - - -"

The Ex-Turk drew in a shaky breath, as he forced his back into the dusty and rigid chair, letting the discomfort of its bumpy surface to awaken him from his dark memories.

Vincent did not know what had happened to Sephiroth. If he did not know better, Vincent would have believed that _Sephiroth had jumped off the bridge_ and fell into the concentrated mako below.

But then the gunman's face froze, and he processed the last thought in his head once more.

__

'No...'

The idea seemed highly improbable. But to Vincent, it still seemed far from impossible.

__

'...surely...it can't be...'

'That would mean...that Sephiroth never died when I shot him...?'

'- - - - -'

'_And somehow, Sephiroth must of had the strength to limp at least ten feet across the platform before falling into the Mako stream...'_

It sounded impossible even to his own mind. But the Ex-Turk could think of no other possibility as to how Sephiroth's body could have disappeared. The last few nights had given Vincent far too much time to ponder Sephiroth's words and his actions, and the more he pondered, the more it began to make sense.

****

.-.-.

**__**

"The life on this planet will soon be no more."

**__**

"...And that is why Aeris, you need to come with me...she will take you into a part of the planet. To her 'Sanctuary' that has been made specifically for our 'Reunion'. In there, she can protect you, as she protects me.."

**__**

"...Ah...I never told you did I..?... This body...this flesh...this vessel I am harbouring now is not mine...It is merely a puppet controlled by the Jenova cells running through its blood."

**__**

"...Mother knows of destructive materia that possesses the power of the cosmos. I will use this power. I will return the planet to its former state. That is the Cetran goal. For everything to die...so that our world can be reborn..."

**__**

"For that is my Cetra burden. My mission of divine conquest. I will kill every last human filth from this earth to restore this planet to its former glory... "

"Aeris... we will not need to seek for the Promised land, because this planet will become our Neo Promised Land..."

.-.-.

"Sephiroth..."

The gunman sighed as he lounged further against the leather seats, wishing their icy coolness would numb his brain of all thought and memory. What he wouldn't give to forget it all. But Vincent knew that he did not deserve such a gift. The horrors he had seen could never be forgotten, nor could they ever be forgiven.

"You believe your mother to be Jenova...not Lucrecia...And now the truth of your birth has twisted your reasoning beyond all logical thought..."

Vincent unconsciously clenched his metal claws on the arm chair, puncturing five identical holes through the thick crimson leather.

" Hojo..." he whispered venomously.

Vincent's crimson eyes trailed downward to the left appendage of his arm, eyeing the golden digits as if it were made by the Calamity itself. The gunman closed his eyes. He could still remember the pain of his brutal arm amputation with no anaesthetic, and how he watched in morbid fascination, as his blood poured down and splashed all over the white tiled floor...and then seeing **_his_** face. His sick twisted smile as he cocked a gun to his heart and fired...

The Ex-Turk's eyes flared open in mounting fury.

His clawed fingers ripped through the leather arm, mutilating the pale foam beneath his metal digits. However, in the gunman's mind, Vincent imagined that he was holding 'his' heart in his claws. Vincent felt his lips curl upwards and sadistically tugged his arm upwards, and tore the beating organ out of the madman's chest, indulging in the look of pale horror that would pass across the crazy scientist's face, as his soul was swept into the darkest bowels of hell.

"...Hojo..." he repeated as he clenched his fists tightly.

And then Vincent looked downwards.

"- - - - -"

Crimson dust coated the gunman's entire lap.

And then Vincent looked to his left, eyeing his golden arm, which strangely enough, had five, large wedges of leather, impaled on each one of his sharply tipped fingers.

"- - - - -"

The gunman sighed quietly, and began to rip off the foam from his claws, before carefully rubbing the dust off his slim leather trousers.

__

'If only what I dreamt was real...'

Vincent knew he would give almost anything to make that certain dream come true. He knew that he would even sell the rest of his soul to the demons inside his body, if fate would give him the chance to kill Hojo in his own blood.

The gunman's lips twitched slightly.

Vincent's imaginative mind was thinking of so many macabre ways to pillage the scientists body of all its blood. He knew that simple shot to the head wouldn't do. Hojo certainly didn't deserve any form of mercy.

__

'Perhaps if I extract a finger at a time; tearing him limb from limb...till nothing is left but a bloody torso...and of course...I will use no anaesthetic...'

'After all...an eye for an eye...'

'And an **arm** for an **arm**...'

The gunman's pale lips twisted upwards into the beginnings of a cruel smirk, partly hidden inside his crimson mantle.

"And perhaps Hojo...if you beg me enough...I will let Chaos finish you off."

The swordsman chuckled mirthlessly.

Vincent knew he was losing his mind, but the gunman did not care. He believed his vengeance was fully justified. Hojo deserved much more than death...and Vincent only hoped that the crazy bastard was still alive...for he wanted to be his executioner... and nobody would take that job from him! But just then, a slight sound jolted the gunman out of his thoughts, and Vincent turned his crimson eyes to the large leather suite.

Wide green eyes were staring at him in a look of mute terror. And Vincent felt his own eyes expand slightly in mild surprise.

The sleeping girl had finally awoken.

Aeris knew that she wasn't sleeping, but she did not feel like she was awake either. She knew her body was lying on something soft, and yet the brunette knew that it did not feel as comfortable as the mattress she had grown so accustomed too. Also, the temperature in the room was rather strange. Whilst some parts of her skin felt cold as ice, there were other patches on her body which felt uncomfortably warm, as if the sun had focussed all its attention on making that single area of flesh as hot as possible.

And so Aeris opened her eyes.

And all she could see was light.

Lights and colours in the shades of heaven.

Their soft rays fell down on her face, welcoming her with their colours of mystic splendour. Aeris blinked, sluggishly moving one lazy hand over her eyes in an attempt to adjust her vision from the morning brightness. She did not remember opening the curtains. And then the brunette looked down in confusion.

Nor did she remember lying down in a chair...?

It took the brunette a few seconds to realise that there never was a leather chair in her bedroom, nor did she ever open her curtains.

__

'Which would then mean...?'

The harsh realisation that she wasn't safe inside the comforts of her room, caused the brunette's eyes to bulge in surprise, and snatched the last traces of sleep from her very alert, and now, very frightened brain.

Her wide green eyes swept across the room.

On the far left corner of the room, she could see a...piano?

'Huh...?'

Something triggered in her head at the sight it. A memory? A melody?

But Aeris had no time to think or wonder. For when her gaze turned towards her right...

Aeris' eyeballs nearly jumped out of their sockets.

There was someone...Some _stranger_ was sitting right beside her!

Aeris mouth moved to scream, but no sound came out. Her vocal cords were silent, and no matter how she tried, she could not will herself to speak. But even though she was silent, the leather material of the suite creaked uncomfortably as she lifted her torso from its resting position, alerting the stranger to her presence.

A pair of shockingly bright, crimson eyes bore down on her startled form; and for one abstract moment, Aeris was glad she could not make a sound, because her eardrums would have shattered at the violent pitch which would have rang from her mouth! Instead, Aeris pushed herself against the suite, as if she could merge her skin inside its crimson fabric. She was staring at a... a... _demon_!

Her heart was leaping inside her chest, and Aeris grabbed one hand to her breast, in an attempt to prevent the traumatised organ from bursting out of her quaking body.

Was this demon going to try and kill her too? Did he think she deserved to die? Did he want to take her soul back to the planet so that she would visit his 'Mother' too?

The girl's thoughts were filled with insanity but she could not control them. They leached off her fears, and the more she stared at this crimson eyed stranger, the more terrified she became. Especially since his face was warping into the features of another. What Aeris saw in her mind, and what she saw with her eyes, were two very different things!

Instead of warm crimson...she could see glowing aquamarine...

And instead of ebony locks...she could see ivory silk.

'No...no...please...'

Aeris clenched her eyes shut, hiding her face in her hair; waiting for the inevitable pain that would soon burst through her skin, and the crimson death that would inevitably follow.

And so Aeris waited...

And waited...

And nothing happened?

Slowly, the girl's large green eyes timidly peaked out from beneath her long, thick waves of chestnut. And Aeris stared at the stranger once more. The crimson eyed stranger stared back at her, and Aeris was confused by the look he was giving her...

It was sad...and almost pitying...?

Aeris felt herself cower beneath the gunman's expression. Why was a stranger staring at her in such a way? She did not want anyone to see her! She wanted to be alone. Away from everyone and everything that could possibly harm her. She wanted to get away! And so, Aeris tried to get her legs to move. However, her body was frozen in position, and no matter how she tried, she could not budge a single inch, nor could she escape from the stranger's crimson eyed gaze.

And so Aeris did the only thing she could.

She cried.

Vincent was at a total loss of what to do.

Just by looking at her, the gunman had the girl to tears.

And the Ex-Turk couldn't really blame her.

Vincent knew that he must appear frightening, decked in a red mantle that was riddled with countless rows of belts and buckles, not unlike the ones found on a jacket inside an insane asylum. Add on the fact he had bright red eyes, a long golden claw for an arm, and skin so white that it rivalled the shade of chalk on paper.

"- - - - "

The Ex-Turk knew that his appearance could pass off as a psychotic villain from one of those trashy horror stories he had read about in the Old Midgar Times. Vincent sighed. His wayward and self-depreciating thoughts were getting him nowhere.

Instinct told him to reach out to console the terrified girl. However his personal experience, told him to keep his distance. Vincent felt rather unsure on what to say to the frightened girl. It did not help that he was known for being unusually inept when dealing with emotional situations, and the Turks were never known for their kind sympathy...

But still...the gunman knew he had to try.

But the girl was acting not unlike a mouse. A frightened little mouse who could not fight, when affronted by the sight of danger.

And Vincent was unsure how to console a girl, who thought he was going to kill her?

The words slipped out of his mouth before he even had the chance to think about them. "I won't hurt you," Vincent said quietly, mentally cursing the scratchiness of his unused voice. The brunette stared back at him with uneasy eyes, looking less worried than before, however her fear still soaked up the air around her.

The gunman tried to appear as least threatening as possible, which was a challenge, considering his talents were within the realm of intimidation and exuding fear into the eyes of those who saw him.

"I won't hurt you," the gunman repeated as smoothly and genuinely as he could, despite his rough vocal cords. "I _promise_."

Aeris visibly cringed at Vincent's final words, and the gunman could only wonder what he had said wrong when the girl began to cry even more.

****

.-.-.

__

"You **promised** me that you would see Mother."

"You **promised** me, damn you witch!"

****

.-.-.

Vincent mentally flinched at the memory.

"- - - - -"

Now he understood how he had upset her.

If he was a swearing man, Vincent would have cursed himself into the seven pits of hell.

Shaking his head, the gunman tried to think of something to say which would soften his irreversible blunder.

But Vincent could think of nothing.

And so the gunman apologised softly, and moved from his chair, crossing the room and stopping only when he was sure that the distance would lessen the girl's suffering from his vile presence. He felt like he was suffocating in the girl's emotional trauma, and the sound and smell of her tears. Tears that he had caused to trace down her face.

The gunman sighed, and sent a silent prayer to his beloved to help him.

And then the gunman tried to speak once more.

"- - - - -"

But Vincent could not think of anything wise to say. The social skills he had once possessed in the past, had become more than a little rusty after sleeping in a wooden box for almost thirty years. It wasn't that Vincent didn't know what he had wanted to say. He just did not know how to approach the subject. As much as he wanted to know everything he could about the brunette, and ask her what type of relationship she had with the son of his beloved; Vincent thought it was unwise to force a woman to speak about such things when she had just had her heart broken so recently. If her face could crumble at the mention of the word 'promise', Vincent hated to think what would happen if he were to mention _'his'_ name. At the very least, the gunman knew he would have a sobbing lunatic on his hands.

And so Vincent faced his back to the girl, and let his crimson stained eyes fall across the lone piano that stood towards the left side of his vision. He tried to envision his Lucrecia sitting there, staring at him with her beautiful eyes, and smiling at him in her soft and gentle way, as she played her loving rhapsody to him..

__

'Lucrecia...'

Vincent knew that his beloved would have known what to say to a distraught girl.

She always said the right words to make others understand her.

__

'Lucrecia...please...I need your strength...'

****

Authors Notes

****

Wow. That chapter was longer than I intended. I guess I got carried away writing Vincent's personality. He is so enigmatic. And as for the '- - - - -'. I think the dotted speech marks are Vinnie's official trademark! lol.

Um yeah, I have always wanted to write Vincent's personality. I think it is because he is so beautiful and yet so tragic. (Like one of those suicidal romantic poets. lol) Awwww...poor Vinnie. He is blaming himself for something that he could not change. Although, personally, I think Vincent needs to move on. And from what I have read about the Dirge of Cerberus, Lucrecia is a nasty piece of work. I thought she died before Vincent was tested on! But no...Lucrecia...(spoiler ahead..don't read if you don't want to know a secret of DOC)..was the one who WILLINGLY tested on Vinnie! gasp What a cow. Vincent doesn't deserve her! No wonder why Sephiroth is so twisted, maybe he has more of his 'real mother' Lucrecia in him...and everyone blames that the Jenova cells made him evil... Ugh...I just don't understand...How can someone go out of their way to hurt someone who loves them unconditionally? And the sad thing is, I used to feel so sorry for Lucrecia...but now... I think she deserves every ounce of suffering she got. She willingly decided to let her own flesh and blood be tested on, not to forget she tested on the man who loved her! It's called Karma dear! Karma!

****

But...ah as much as Im feeling anti-Lucrecia at the moment... I must admit that she looks really pretty in her CG image in DOC... the one where she is locked up in that crystal behind her waterfall. If anyone wants the image, just send it in your review, and I'll send it to you via email.

But um...yeah...What do you guys think of this chappie? Tell me through your reviews. Avalanche should be meeting Aer and Vinny in the next chapter. Ooh, I wonder how that reunion will go...lol.

Don't forget to review! It does inspire me to write faster!

Ja ne

Aer-seph4eva

Any questions or comments? Feel free to notify me by email.

P.S.

I still don't think Lucrecia deserves a man like Vincent. ;p


	4. Unexpected Reunion

****

To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story

6575 Words

20 pages

Chapter 4 Unexpected Reunion

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind :)

Author's Notes

Heh! I still can't believe how the last chapter was monopolised by Vinnie! Lol. I only intended him to be in a few paragraphs...but ah...I got carried away as usual! Lol.

Oh yeah! Someone asked me, whether I was gonna turn Vincent into a real vampire... what with his obsession with sniffing Aeris' blood. But sorry... as much as Vincent may look and act like a vampire...he isn't a vampire, and he won't be turning into one anytime soon... sorry Vincent Vampire fans. lol

Hn, ...as for the big Sephiroth question. Sorry guys, but Seph is gonna be AWOL for half of this fic...but don't worry, when Kadaj enters the scene...some of you guys may forget that this fic even started as a Seph/Aer...lol.

As for my musical muse today, I'm listening to one of my favourite DNAngel themes. Rakuen-Fanatic aka evil/psychotic Krad's theme. Heh. I simply adore any type of music that has a strong heart-beat for a base...It's kinda like Sephiroth's haunting 'Those chosen by the planet' theme, and at the same time...it's totally different!

Oh btw...I went to Birmingham yesterday and I bought a FFXI chocobo plush. It's so cute! I even removed my Cloudy off his fenrir bike and plonked him on the yellow feathered birdie. Awwww... I even tried putting my Sephy figure on it, but the poor little choco legs kept on giving way. lol. I thought it was really funny.

But ahh...

Enough with my ramblings... On with the fic!

xxx

Vincent knew that his dearly beloved would have known what to say to the distraught girl. She always could speak the right words to make others understand her.

__

'Lucrecia...please...I need your strength...'

Laying across the dusty chair, halfway between a sitting and resting position, Aeris' wide, wet eyes, watched in mute silence as Vincent crossed over to the other side of the room.

The brunette had no idea what the crimson eyed stranger was doing. But she had to admit, that she felt a tiny bit more comfortable, now that Vincent's devilish eyes were no longer staring at her so intensely.

And the quaking horror that had earlier possessed her soul began to slowly ebb away...

And when Vincent stopped, at least twenty steps away from her person...

Aeris felt like she could finally breathe again.

However...

Just because the gunman had moved across the room...

That did not mean that the brunette felt any less nervous...

Or any less _afraid of him_...

Nevertheless, now that Vincent's crimson's gaze was no longer upon her, Aeris timidly began to examine the dark haired gunman. Since he was standing with his back to her vision, it served to heighten the girl's bravery.

Aeris could see that the gunman was very tall and seemed almost unhealthily thin. His velvet cape fell around him in a waterfall of red crimson, and his dark hair fell down his back in loose waves of thick obsidian.

And the more Aeris looked at him, the more she felt a strange presence surrounding the crimson cloaked male.

And it felt...almost _inhuman_...

And yet...despite the brunette's fear of him... Aeris had a feeling...an instinct... that this stranger was not evil as he appeared...

And then a flash of memory zipped through the brunette's mind.

__

A pile of cotton food packages littering her bedroom floor upstairs.

And the faint patter of footsteps departing from her door.

And then slowly the pieces of the puzzle began to slowly click together.

Aeris had a feeling...no...she knew without a doubt... that this crimson eyed stranger...was the same person who had given her all those gifts. He had given her those parcels that she had left unopened. A flicker of light shimmered inside the brunette's green orbs at the realisation, before fading back to their dark, shadowed hue. So lost in her musings, Aeris' body jolted upwards in surprise, when she heard a single sound break through the silence of the room.

It was the sound of a piano.

Aeris gasped in surprise, as she gaped at Vincent; who was now sitting on a piano stool, playing the same haunting melody that she had heard upstairs in her room!

__

'...Huh?'

Aeris really did not know why she felt so surprised at seeing the gunman play. For her, it just seemed so unexpected; that a stranger who possessed the eyes of the devil, and who was clothed in the colours of blood and darkness, could be the source of such beautifully enchanting music! The brunette felt her lashes flutter over half lidded eyes. The melody was making her heart feel so calm and her body feel so weightless. The music was like a sweet euphoria...a celestial gift from the Gods. It gave Aeris the thoughts of the impossible...it possessed her with the power to make her broken soul believe in the colours of light and hope...and in her mind, Aeris envisioned herself flying to the heavens above...her fingertips were reaching outwards...to touch the most brightest stars in the sky!

And the more the brunette imagined...

The less Aeris began to fear...

The music caused Aeris to feel many things. From joyful sadness, to gleeful contentment. The myriad of emotions the brunette was feeling were expressed in her eyes in glittering colours of diamond and emerald. And the dark shadows which had once plagued the girl's pale expression began to lighten.

And the girl's cheeks began to colour into a rosy sheen.

But what was even more unbelievable ...was how..

The brunette's lips were twitching slightly...

The music was tempting the Aeris to **_smile_**.

The remaining barriers of fear that were surrounding Aeris mind and heart were beginning to gently ebb away; and then slowly; the brunette's legs began to move. Eventually her entire body began to gracefully tip toe across the floor, stopping only when she was standing at the gunman's left side. The brunette watched the stranger's dark gloved fingers, languidly slide over each ivory key in calm repetition. Aeris sometimes had to hold her breath at the silent pauses in undying awe, before sighing softly when the haunting melody continued on.

And then the brunette's wide green eyes stared at the stranger's profile.

The light from above cast a golden halo across the stranger's lean form, bringing colour onto skin most suited to moonlight and shadow. The brunette found herself slightly bemused to see that the gunman's eyes were closed. It was as if the stranger was immersed in the power of the music he was creating. Once more, Aeris felt herself drawn towards the stranger's pale features. Standing so close to him, Aeris thought that the gunman's long, dark lashes seemed strangely effeminate against his alabaster toned skin. His nose was long, and his mouth was thin, however while such features may have been considered unattractive on a model, the brunette thought that such unusual features enhanced the stranger's face in a positively striking manner.

And then a glint of gold, sparkled in the corner of the girl's vision.

And Aeris turned her eyes towards to the left side of the gunman's body...or more precisely, to his left **_arm._** The brunette felt her eyes bulge in shock when she realised what she could see. The stranger's left arm was encased in a thin, golden sheath of metal. Attached to the gold strip were five long talons that twitched like long, bony fingers.

It appeared to be a sick parody of a **_hand_**...?

'---!'

Aeris threw a hand to her throat, and she stumbled backwards in horror.

And that was when the music stopped.

And dark crimson eyes stared up at her in confusion.

And Aeris opened her mouth to scream.

But something was _wrong_.

'---!'

Whilst Aeris' lips were open wide, the brunette could not let out a single sound.

'---!'

She tried to shout.

'---!'

She tried to scream.

'---!'

But no sound escaped her silent lips. Not even a squeak.

__

'It...it can't be...'

The brunette's eyes went impossibly wide, unable to comprehend the horror in her mind.

__

'I...I...'

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes.

__

'I'm mute!'

And her vision was beginning to get hazy.

__

'How..?'

She grasped her hands to her throat.

__

'Why?'

But no matter how wide she opened her mouth.

__

'No!'

Aeris couldn't get a single rush of air into her lungs.

__

'No! No! No!'

It was as if she had a bubble in her throat, and it was getting larger and larger...so large that it was nearly choking off all her air supply.

__

'I can't...'

And then her green eyes began to tear over.

__

'I can't...'

Aeris was beginning to hyperventilate.

__

'I ..I...can't breathe..'

She knew she was going to faint...

__

'I can't sp-peak at all..'

She could see dots appear before her very eyes...

__

'I'm...s-so...we-ak...'

And then Aeris felt her legs give way beneath her. But before her knees could even touch the floor, she felt a pair of hands, grasping at her sides, and pulling her jellified body onto the piano seat beside him.

And then she heard the stranger's voice beside her ear.

"You need to relax..." Vincent said quietly. "You are going into shock...calm down and breathe."

Aeris turned her startled tear stained eyes on the crimson eyed gunman sitting beside her.

"Just breathe," he repeated softly. "It's alright... you're safe now."

And for that moment, Aeris looked at the stranger and listened to his words. She really looked and listened, and instead of the anger and malice, the coldness and cruelty she expected and feared...all Aeris could see was kindness, and all she could hear was concern. And before the brunette knew it, Aeris was choking on the air that she had inhaled inside her lungs. She coughed and gasped, as she tried to regulate her breathing back to normal. The large gloved hand gently rubbing against her tense back also helped to calm her.

"Are you alright?" Vincent asked eventually, as he withdrew his hand to his side, leaning back to give the brunette her own personal space.

Aeris nodded weakly, coughing a few more final times before settling back into her normal breathing pattern.

And when the brunette stared up at the gunman, there was no trace of fear in her expression for him.

Aeris automatically opened her mouth to thank him.

... And then she remembered that she could not speak..

Her eyes darted from side to side in alarm, and the brunette looked ready to hyperventilate yet again.

But thankfully, Vincent had an idea what the brunette was trying to say, and so nodded in silent gratitude.

The brunette's lips slightly twitched upwards, into a weak parody of a smile.

And then silence settled between the two strangers once more, broken every once and a while by a quiet sniffle by the gunman's green eyed companion.

Time had passed since that the two strangers sat together on the small piano bench, staring at nothing but the lifeless walls around them.

And then...the gunman spoke.

"Vincent..."

Vincent watched as the brunette self-consciously rubbed away the tears from her eyes and cheeks, and looked upwards in confusion.

"My name is Vincent Valentine..." the gunman stated calmly. "And your name is...Aeris?" He asked carefully, testing the strange and foreign word in his mouth.

The brunette's eyes widened in surprise at his question, before warily nodding her head. It was clear that she was confused why he knew her name.

Vincent could see the question in her eyes. '_How...?'_

But the gunman was unsure how to answer such a question which was seemed simple...and yet held answers that seemed far too complicated at such a sensitive time. If he told the girl _how_ he knew her name, Vincent knew that he would inevitably have to tell the brunette the whole truth. From how she freed him, and how he saved her. But what worried the gunman most, was how he was going to approach the subject of **him**...

__

'No I won't say anything...if I tell the girl the truth now, it may do her more harm than good.'

In the end, Vincent decided to remain silent for now, for he did not want to reawaken the girl's nightmare so soon, and instead tried to guide his strained conversation down another path. He had so many options of choice, and yet his mind was unfortunately blank of any intelligent thought, other than the memory of Sephiroth's seemingly dead corpse, lying facedown on the reactor bridge in a growing wet puddle of his own crimson blood. The gunman leant backwards in his seat, and he nearly jumped out of his seat when a set of loud and unpleasant discord of notes leapt out from behind him.

The gunman sweat dropped slightly and leant his body forward, sending the brunette a mildly embarrassed look.

"Sorry." He admonished quietly. But Aeris seemed far from upset. In fact, the girl's previously sad face seemed somewhat mildly amused.

The gunman couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly.

__

'Perhaps the girl can be saved from her darkness...'

But Vincent knew that he wouldn't be able to truly comfort her. He had never been compatible with his emotions...and the last time he tried using them...the woman he truly loved, ended up dying, and giving birth to a son who condemned himself to madness.

He had never been close to anyone.

Even talking was now a challenge to him.

But for Aeris...

He was going to _try_.

The gunman carefully swivelled around in his seat so that he was facing the piano again, and he stared down at the old and worn keys with a faint sense of nostalgia, before turning his gaze to the brunette who was staring at the black and ivory keys in abstract interest.

"Do you play?" He asked tentatively

The brunette paused, appearing confused for a moment, before shaking her head in a negative.

"I see," the Ex-Turk affirmed in understanding, and was ready to say something more, when he realised that the girl's wide eyed attention had fallen on his golden arm.

"It was...an accident..." Vincent said after a while, as he self-consciously inched his golden clawed hand inside the thick realms of his cloak, and away from the brunette's green prying eyes. He did not want to talk about his own nightmarish history with another, as it would serve no purpose other than to make himself all the more miserable.

An uneasy silence settled between them once more.

Then eventually, the gunman raised his human hand and descended his finger and thumb across the ivory keys, trailing a minor arpeggio of notes from long ago, stopping once he made his first mistake. The gunman shook his head in mild annoyance. "I'm not a musician," he admitted with a regretful sigh, before continuing another simple scale of notes.

__

'But I guess any musician would find it difficult to play on a piano that is missing half its keys...' He mused, while his lips twitched upwards into a humourless grin.

His crimson eyed gaze slid back to the girl who sat beside him, and he watched in interest as the girl began to carefully swivel around and position herself so that she was facing the piano keys like himself.

The brunette's smile was more visible this time, and Vincent watched as the girl raised one of her hands to brush back a lock of her hair from her vision, before planting her hand across the ancient keys.

And that was when Vincent saw it.

His eyes flickered momentarily to the brand on the girl's hand, and his right hand suddenly slipped across the notes and landed on an unwelcome discord in surprise. But to the gunman, the mistake went unnoticed, as his crimson gaze had narrowed onto the foul black font marring the girl's skin.

He recognised that neat script...

**__**

Hojo...

The gunman seethed and all he could see was red. He clenched his jaw and narrowed his crimson eyes with barely controlled rage. It seemed that Hojo had claimed and corrupted another innocent life, and at that moment, Vincent really wanted to kill Hojo. He wanted to kill that mad scientist **now!**

Aeris, noticing the stranger's burning gaze upon her scarred mark, hastily covered the ugly brand with her other hand; therefore awakening the gunman from his blood thirsty thoughts. The brunette's green eyes flickered nervously in the gunman's direction, and they both shared a knowing look.

__

'They both hated Shinra...and they both hated Hojo...'

And then Vincent turned his head away, and dropped his fingers back onto the keys, revealing his concealed anger by the loud and clashing music that he made.

__

'There were so many similarities...'

'Earlier he thought them to be coincidence...'

'But now...'

"- - - - - "

It seemed fate enjoyed writing the role of the tormented. Fate enjoyed making others suffer, time and time again.

After a while, the gunman's playing began to eventually soften, and his biting notes of staccato began to slowly transform into a song that was much more familiar to both Vincent and the brunette's ears.

He was playing **her** song...

Their song...

__

'Lucrecia...'

The gunman sighed. Even her name sung out like a melody..

The vision of his beloved began to fill his head.

And then he began to remember...

__

The long thread of ivory pearls that she wrapped around her slim neck.

Her soft tawny bangs, framing her angelic face.

Her warm, kind eyes.

And her gentle smile.

And her long white clothes...like the robes of an angel...

Vincent was unaware of the moment that his eyes had fallen shut at the memory of her...and him together. Once and a while, one stray finger would descend on an incorrect note, and his face would twitch with minor displeasure, but then after a while, the mistake would be forgotten as he remembered the way she would chuckle so happily...and the way she would smile so fondly at him...

But then, the smell of fresh tears brought him back to the present, and the gunman snapped his eyes open to the brunette beside him.

The girl had thick layers of tears dribbling down her face. She was sniffling sharply as if she was holding back a flood of emotion..

Vincent could think of nothing to say...and so he averted his eyes to the side in shame.

__

'Just like adding salt to a wound Valentine.'

'As if the girl wasn't unhappy enough.'

'I might as well played the funeral march.'

The gunman mentally cursed his own stupidity.

"I'm sorry," he murmured guiltily, as he pulled his hand away from the keys as if they were made of hot coals. The girl was obviously traumatised by loosing the one she had cared for, and now he was adding upon her emotional pain. His intentions was to console her, and all he could do was make her cry.

Vincent felt like a First Class Idiot, and he felt far too embarrassed to look at her.

But when he felt a faint tug of the left sight of his mantle, the gunman couldn't help but turn his head to face the distraught girl.

But what he saw startled him beyond all conceivable ideas.

Despite the tears which flowed down her face...

Aeris was **_smiling brightly_** at him! There was even a new sparkle in her forest green eyes that the gunman had never seen in there before. Vincent could not believe how someone could express so much joy in such times of helpless woe. Vincent felt abashed, and an uncomfortable blush began to slowly seep across his cheeks; and so he dipped his face inside his mantle to hide his discomfort.

But as soon as the smile came, the light in the girl's eyes dimmed, and Vincent eyes widened dramatically in mute shock as the girl suddenly lunged at him and began crying into his left shoulder. She sobbed without a single sound, and yet the gunman could feel the power behind each tremor.

Vincent sat there, confused and befuddled. Her soft, warm form was crushed against his left side, and his body tensed with discomfort, as he saw the girl's wet tears leak down his arm and splash carelessly upon his golden arm.

__

' - - - - ?'

The gunman stared at the top of the girl's dark brown head for countless seconds, before placing his right hand awkwardly across the girl's shoulder in an attempt of mild reassurance.

__

'...uh?'

The human contact felt alien to him. The touch of his bare fingertips against the girl's soft skin sent nervous shudders across the gunman's frame. Her skin enflamed his cold flesh, sending tingles of warmth that seemed like he had forgotten for centuries. His body was reacting to the comfort of another, and unconsciously, he felt his torso lean forwards to bring the girl closer to his side, even though his mind was recoiling from the idea of touching someone that was not '**_his beloved_**'...

But Vincent did not pull away, and yet he desperately wanted the girl to push away from him. He could not understand why the girl would seek comfort from one such as he. He could not understand why such innocence would wish to touch a being that was festering with so much satanic corruption. But as long as the girl remained to cling onto him, Vincent knew he would not let her go. If he could not bring the girl comfort through his words ..then he would do so by letting her use his body...

And so Vincent waited.

And waited...

For the girl to stop crying.

And with his right arm, the gunman uneasily patted the girl's back, in his best comforting manner, while trying not to get his fingers tangled in the girl's dark, wild curls.

And as Vincent stared down at the brunette's thick chocolate locks, the gunman felt his mind being thrown back into painful reminiscence.

Seeing the similarities between Aeris and her, only widened the unhealable wounds in his heart.

****

!-SLAM-!

Both Vincent and Aeris jerked upwards in surprise at the sudden sound, and the ex-Turk's spine straightened in warning. The gunman's ears twitched and his eyes narrowed sharply. He could hear footsteps. Many footsteps...and faint voices...

The sound came from the main hall.

And then his gaze fell down to the now frightened woman in his arms.

"Someone's here," he said softly to the girl, whose eyes bugged widely in growing horror.

The brunette's mouth moved slowly syllable by syllable, and it was clear what she wanted to say. Her fear gave her away.

__

'Is it **him**?...Is it Sephiroth?'

Vincent shook his head in a negative.

"No...not him." he replied softly, to which the brunette relaxed...barely...and yet managed to appear a little downhearted at the same time... Removing his hand from the girl's form, the gunman tried to stand from the chair but the girl's arms around him, was making the simple task rather difficult. Reluctantly, Aeris withdrew her arms, and she sadly moved backwards to give the gunman the space to stand.

Vincent's long black legs stepped around the piano stool, revealing a pair of feet encased in gold armour, and deadly pointed tips. Vincent watched the girl's fascination with his boots, and he couldn't help but smile slightly at the way that her gaze followed them with every step that he took. But then the gunman's expression hardened as he listened to the voices outside in the hall getting closer.

The gunman turned his dark crimson gaze to the girl sitting self consciously by the piano. "Stay here," Vincent voiced quietly, to which the brunette feebly nodded.

The Ex-Turk wondered whether the girl would actually follow his command, but he knew he had no time to think about that for now. There were trespassers in the mansion, and it was his duty to get rid of them. Striding silently to the door, Vincent was somewhat regretful that the door possessed no lock. Nevertheless, the gunman promised himself that he would not let anyone enter the room even if it cost him his life.

He swiftly withdrew his shotgun from its holster and stared down at the remaining bullets in a mild frown. From the amount of footsteps he could hear, there seemed to be at least five or perhaps six intruders standing in the hall, and he only had three bullets remaining.

But Vincent knew that it wasn't a real serious problem. Since he had demonic beast was laughing in his head, and his unmatched skills as a former Turk, the gunman doubted he would be out matched.

'_But...it will become much more messy...especially if Chaos gets involved...'_

Taking one last look at the dark haired girl, Vincent opened the door and closed it behind him, as silently as he could. Then slowly, the gunman began to crept down the short hallway and then stopped when he reached a spot that held a visible sniping advantage to him. His slid his lean body against the wall, and he shifted himself so he could see around the corner without being seen.

With his gun cocked out and ready, and his pulse calm and steady, Vincent Valentine was ready for a fight.

And in the shadows of his position, the Ex-Turk's dark crimson eyes, watched and observed.

------------------------------------------------

****

Back to AVALANCHE...

No matter where they went, or who they talked to, Cloud could not find anyone in the town who knew about the burning of Nibelheim. But the more he asked the barman, and the innkeepers about the town's past history, the more hostile they became. And yet Cloud knew...that the townsfolks' guilt-ridden eyes would reveal secrets that their mouths were not willing to tell. But what the blond could not understand was _why_?

Regardless despite his irritation and confusion, Cloud managed to find one source, who commented about two strangers that had trailed in the direction of Shinra Mansion a few days ago. One male cloaked in black and silver, and the other female robed in a pink dress.

The truth sent his heart racing.

The description had fit Aeris and Sephiroth perfectly, and while Cloud worried that the pair may have already left the town, the blond still wanted to check the Shinra Mansion, just in case. For Cloud knew, that if Sephiroth were to hide anywhere, it would be there.

And so here Avalanche stood, standing inside the withered hallways of a mansion steeped in the shades of death and misery.

With their weapons out and ready, and faces taut with fierce focus, Cloud turned to face his team with an expression of stern warning.

"Everyone, stay alert," the blond commanded, swiftly yet surely. "It is likely that Sephiroth is in this mansion and we need to be on our guard."

"Barret...Red." The blond's eyes focused on the burly gunman and the red canine. "You search the upper half of the mansion, while Tifa, Yuffie and I will take the lower. If you find him, do not attempt to engage him in battle. Use your PHS to report to the other party. If we are to take on Sephiroth, we must do so as a team."

Red, Tifa and Barret nodded in unison, while Yuffie sent a frowning look upon her blond leader.

"Hey! Are we really going to kill Sephiroth?" the ninja exclaimed, suddenly realising her leader's intentions. "That's like, suicide!?"

The blond spun on his foot. "Yuffie, don't talk so loud," Cloud muttered firmly. "We must use the element of surprise to our advantage. Sephiroth has Aeris and we have to get her back before its too late."

"But!" the ninja protested loudly. "How do you know that your friend even wants to leave Sephiroth? The last time I saw her, she seemed rather chummy with that crazy wacko!"

"Yuffie..."Cloud frowned before sighing deeply. Yuffie, always seemed to be a hopeless cause. 'And I always assumed ninjas to be silent.' the blond mused to himself, before turning away from the cheeky teen and centring his gaze on the rest of his team-mates.

"Just remember what I said everyone, if you see Sephiroth, don't resort to combat, and if you find Aeris, report it to your PHS immediately!"

His Avalanche group nodded once more in understanding, and Cloud watched as Barret and Red began to slowly creep up the stairs. They had barely gotten to the top of the staircase, when a gunshot sounded from below, smashing through one of the dirty windows and making nearly everyone leap out of their skin.

"What da hell was dat!" Barret cried from above, staring down from his stunned position on the staircase.

Cloud whirled around in surprise, eyeing the shattered glass beneath his feet, and then at the window that he had been standing beside him just before. If it had been a few more inches, then the bullet would have hit his head and then it would have been game over for him.

And then a dark, mysterious voice echoed through the silent halls.

**__**

"Leave now."

Tifa, Yuffie and Cloud's eyes snapped towards the direction of the sound and that was where they saw it.

A dark figure was standing at the entrance beneath the staircase.

Wrapped in shadows, and standing in a place where the light could not touch the floorboards, Avalanche stared in surprise at their faceless enemy.

"Leave now," Vincent repeated in a more threatening tone, as he cocked his gun in the blond's direction. "That is my last warning."

The Avalanche leader frowned sharply as a dozen questions dashed through his head. The blond's first thought was that this man could have been Sephiroth, until he realised that the Ex-General had never been known for using a gun, and that the man's voice was far too deep to compare with Sephiroth's cold and governing diction.

"Who are you?" Cloud asked as harshly as he could, as he moved his broadsword into an offensive stance.

The Ex-Turk's eyes narrowed in warning, as his thumb slowly trailed over the trigger.

"That does not matter. _Leave now._"

The blond's brow frowned even further. He had no idea who this mysterious gunman was, but Cloud knew that the man was not playing around.

"Fine, we will go as soon as we get what we came for," Cloud stated coolly, yet diplomatically.

However Vincent's face remained non negotiable. "And what is it that you want?"

"Our friend. She was taken away by a man with a black cloak and long silver hair."

The gunman frowned slightly, as he stared into the blond's mako tinted eyes.

__

'Mako...? Is he with Shinra?' The Ex-Turk did not trust anyone associated with Shinra.

Even though the blond did not seem a threat, he knew he had to protect the girl with his life...and so the gunman decided to shake his head in a non affirmative. "I am sorry, but I do not know of who you mean."

The blond frowned, and was ready to speak more, that was until Barret barrelled down the stairs, and jumped down to the ground with a heavy crash.

"Hey you! You betta not be lying. If I find out you are messin around wit us, den dere will be hell da pay!" The burly gunman threatened, as he waved his gunman in the Ex-Turks' direction.

However, Vincent was not the type to be intimidated so easily.

"- - - - -"

"A tough guy eh?" Barret said mockingly. "If you're so tough and all, why don't you come out and face us like a man!"

"- - - - -"

"You're not gonna say anything! Why I outa!"

"Barret!" Tifa cried, as she placed a steady hand on the gunman's heavily muscled arm. "Please don't."

Barret stared at the pleading expression in his friend's eyes, before relenting to the brunette's wishes. "Fine Teef."

"Fine, can you at least answer this one question?"

The gunman's jaw tightened. This was getting tedious. "...What?"

"Sephiroth passed through this town three days ago," the blond stated sternly. "I want to know if you saw him...?"

"What do you want with Sephiroth?" Vincent eventually questioned after a moment's pause.

"Why are you askin dat? Oho! That means you have seen him! Ya lyin scumbag! Why you-" Barret began as he aimed his gun-arm towards the dark figure.

"Barret," Cloud stated firmly, putting Barret's tirade to a sudden halt, before turning back to the dark haired gunman. "Like I said before, Sephiroth has taken someone who was very dear to us, and we worry for her safety."

The gunman hesitated. The blond seemed genuine, and yet the Ex-Turk was still dubious about this male's intentions.

"You are affiliated with Shinra?" Vincent asked cautiously.

The mako gleam in the swordsman's eyes sharpened. "Not anymore," the blond replied. "Are you?"

The Ex-Turk shook his head. "Not anymore."

"- - - - -"

Cloud knew this conversation was going nowhere.

"You know where Aeris is, don't you!"

The gunman's scarlet eyes flashed upon the ninja leaning against the broken banister, as did the rest of Yuffie's team-mates.

"You do, don't you?... Why don't you tell us now, and then we'll get out of your hair?" the teen asked boisterously, while scratching her arms in mild boredom.

"- - - - -"

Vincent stared at the Wutain girl, not the least bit amused.

"Seriously, if I were you, I'd tell us where Aeris is hiding, because Spiky's oversized butter knife isn't just for show. It can chop a hellova lot of stuff into sushi, isn't that right Cloud?" Yuffie said smugly, as she twisted her head in her leader's direction.

The blond in question slapped a hand to his face with a sigh, while the Ex-Turk looked over the blond's weapon in mute observation, before meeting the Ex-SOLDIER'S eyes once more.

"I am sorry, but I cannot help you. Now please, leave this mansion, and do not come back," Vincent answered in a calm and empty tone. "There is nothing to find in here but death..."

Cloud was getting more and more annoyed. He knew that the stranger knew something and yet he refused to divulge his secrets, and the blond knew that he was doing nothing by simply standing around. The blond sighed. The more time he wasted, the less chance he would have in catching up with Aeris and Sephiroth.

"Alright. We'll leave. However, we would like to look down in the basement first before we go," Cloud stated firmly.

The gunman's eyes flickered in confusion. He could not understand what these strangers would want down there, unless they wanted to search through Shinra's secret library. "Why the basement?" Vincent asked softly.

The blond glared at the gunman. If the stranger refused to answer his questions, then Cloud was definitely not going to tell this unknown gunman anymore more than he needed to know. All Cloud knew is that the last time he searched for Sephiroth, he found him in the library, and if Sephiroth was anywhere in Nibelheim, the blond knew that he would be most likely hiding down there.

The gunman took a step forward into the light, revealing his cold, and fearless features to everyone around.

"Like I said," he murmured darkly as his crimson eyes flickered from each figure in his sight. "There is nothing in this mansion but death. So leave now... or die."

The blond shook his head, even though he was partially stunned by the gunman's sinister features. "No. We are looking for Sephiroth and our friend, and you cannot stop us."

The Ex-Turk sighed. "So be it."

And then Vincent fired.

Cloud raised his sword upwards and blocked the bullet with his blade, and as the blond turned his head to look back at the stranger...the swordsman instinctively lunged to the left, as a pair of golden claws slashed above his feathered locks.

Tifa slid her body to the floor and tried to kick the gunman's legs out from beneath him. But Vincent easily evaded the brunette's attack, and somersaulted over Tifa's head, landing perfectly on the tip of the banister rail.

And then Yuffie's shuriken flashed through the air, and nicked the gunman's shoulder. But the ninja soon regretted her attack as Vincent's crimson form leapt up in the air, with his claw outstretched to strike her down.

But then, Barret sent a hail of bullets towards the Ex-Turk, and so Vincent had to leap backwards in defensive, before rolling rather dramatically across the ground, to prevent Cloud's sword from slicing through his stomach, and Red from mauling off his right arm.

Swiftly twirling back to his feet, Vincent dodged each metal projectile that was thrown his way with unnatural ease, and evaded each materia attack that was summoned upon him.

The battle was much more difficult than Vincent expected, but the Ex-Turk refused to give up. Vincent knew that if he was to eliminate the blond leader, then the battle would be his; and so the gunman raised his silversniper, ready to finish the fight once and for all. Since he had only one bullet left, he had to make it count. The gunman dodged a few more attacks, before aiming at the back of the blond's head.

He was a mere breath away from victory...

And all he needed to do was squeeze the trigger...

But suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his middle, and Vincent spun his clawed arm around, ready to shred his enemy in two.

And then fiery crimson locked onto sparkling green.

Vincent immediately halted his attack, before his sharp nails could puncture the girl's delicate skin.

**__**

"Aeris!"

The gunman barely registered the alarmed cry from his blond enemy, as he stared down the brunette in surprise. But before he could move his lips to scold the girl for putting herself in danger, Aeris' pink clad form darted past the bewildered Ex-Turk, and threw herself into an unsuspecting blond's arms.

****

Author's Notes

****

Whew! This chapter is finished. Heh. AVALANCHE has finally reunited with Aeris. But I doubt it was the reunion that they expected? Hmmm. I wonder. Should I drag out the reunion in the next chapter. Or should I speed things along with just a few paragraphs...? Hmm...I haven't decided. But I must admit that I'm pushing more towards the latter than the former. Anywho...what did you guys think? I really enjoyed writing about Vincent. He is the perfect anti-hero. By the way, has anyone played Dirge of Cereberus? I would really like to try it!

Heh. please don't forget to review! Pretty please! The more you guys review! The more likely you'll see Kadaj!

Any questions or comment, feel free to contact me by email.

Ja ne

Aer-seph4eva


	5. Memories

****

To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story

****

8940 Words

21 pages

Chapter 5 Memories

Disclaimer

__

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol

Author's Notes

Heh! Thanks for all the reviews you guys! I'm glad that you are all still enjoying this fic (even though our beloved OWA has gone AWOL) Lol. Ahem... anyway, a lot of you reviewers are still asking when Kadaj will be entering the scene. Well...lets just say its going to be really, really soon...As in...the chapter after next soon! Heh heh he. Shocking, isn't it! lol.

**__**

Ahem...

Oh yeah, a reviewer asked me another question regarding the time frame of TLAA1, and how much time has passed since Aeris was freed from the Shinra HQ in Midgar. Well...even though it took me almost four years to finish TLAA1, in reality, Aeris had only been travelling along with Seph for less than a month! XD. Surprising, isn't it!

Hn.

As for my musical muse today, I have been listening to yet another game soundtrack. However, this time it's not one from the final fantasy series...nor is it from any of my other favourite PS2 games. No today, I'm listening to a music from a rather infamous Xbox game; Fable. I always remembered the music being really good, however it only clicked when I restarted playing that oh so amazing game. lol. I simply love the Fable theme that was written by Danny Elfman, and I especially like Russell Shaw's monk style hymns. Ooh, some of the music in that game can really send tingles down your spine, and it screams out the themes of war and corrupted innocence quite clearly! And Oh! For you guys who have never listened to the Fable themes before, and would still like to listen to some, feel free to email me and I'll rip off some of the best pieces from my CD.

__

Anywho...enough with my ramblings...

****

On with the fic :)

xxx

Only a few days had passed since he had found her; the flower maiden from the slums. In his mind, Cloud had remembered Aeris being a vivacious female, who was so full of life and energy; and while she had been admittedly weak in battle, the blond knew exactly what made Aeris different than any other woman; and that was her inner spirit. Her strength of will could rival no other Midgian female that the blond had ever known, and Aeris proved it to him every time she entered battle with only her simple wooden rod to aid her. How a delicate flower-girl could enter a fight, knowing that she was seriously outmatched in both size and strength only showed the blond the true extent of the brunette's bravery...and even though most people could consider the girl's actions as foolish, or even suicidal...Cloud couldn't help but respect the flower-girl even more...since courage was not a trait commonly found in the streets of the Midgar slums...

Cloud even remembered how Aeris had helped him to find Tifa in Sector 6, and even though she did not need to, Aeris had followed him straight into the path of danger, not even caring a single whit about her own safety!

So when Cloud found out how Aeris had been taken by the Turks, he promised himself that he would do whatever it took to find her again.

And now he had fulfilled his promise...

Cloud had finally found her...

But...

The flower maiden Cloud remembered.

And the broken woman he had found...

__

Were two very entirely different beings...

**__**

3 Days ago...

"Aeris!" Cloud exclaimed softly, staring wide eyed in disbelief at the girl, who he held in a one armed embrace.

__

The blond could not believe it!

He had finally found her!

Aeris was safe!

Cloud could hear Tifas amazed gasp beside him, and the sound of Barret's heavy gun-fall instantly stopped, as every eye in the room turned towards the quaking girl in the blond swordsman's arm.

Cloud's former enemy; the crimson cloaked gunman, no longer held any form of importance. The only thing that Avalanche could focus on, was the flower-girl, who had her thin arms tightly wrapped around their leader's waist, and her petite face dipped down into his chest.

"Aeris! Are you alright?"

Cloud tried to pull himself backwards so that he could stare at the brunette's face. But Aeris refused to loosen her grip around him. The blond could feel the brunette's violent trembling through both their clothes; through each rigid contour of his own body...

Cloud knew that he could have easily peeled the girl's arms away from his form, for Aeris seemed as weak as a babe! And yet...the brunette's was pressed against him so forcefully...and she was clinging to him so desperately, as if she was afraid that he was going to disappear if she tried to let go...?

And that fact worried him.

The happy euphoria that Cloud had felt, after finding Aeris safe...was now beginning to slowly slip away...

...and was now descending into thoughts of worry, which snatched the faint twinkling of blue light from his gaze, and set his lips into a taut line..

'Why wasn't Aeris responding?'

"Aeris?" Cloud questioned softly.

"- - -- "

The brunette did not say a single word. However, her tiny hands tightened around the blond's lean waist.

Cloud felt his brows furrowing in concern.

"Aeris...look at me."

The girl shook her head inside his chest, refusing to raise her head to the blond's blue eyed gaze.

"Aeris...?" The Cloud pleaded softly.

And then slowly, the brunette's wide, downcast eyes slowly rose upwards to meet intense mako blue.

And it was then, that Cloud really stared...

Aeris' face was so sickly pale. Her wide green eyes appeared so impossibly large on her face. Cloud also noticed the long wet tear tracks which trailed down cheeks, that seemed like they were sunken in with depression.

'- - - - -'

The blond felt his eyes soften in empathy, and the single gloved hand that was settled on the girl's slim waist, instinctively drew the brunette even closer to his body.

And that was when Cloud noticed something else.

Aeris looked so thin...

As if she hadn't eaten in days...

And then Cloud noticed the long red streaks across the girl's bleeding arms.

And the blond's eyes widened in surprise...

'It...can't be...?'

"Aeris!" He gasped in shock, almost dropping his broadsword in his right hand.

The colour of her blood struck the blond speechless.

And a man with long silver hair filled his vision.

__

'Did Sephiroth do this to her?'

The name of the infamous swordsman brought the blond back to his senses.

"Aeris!" He repeated again, as he dropped his sword to the floor and grabbed both of the brunette's shoulders.

He shook her gently, trying to get her to respond.

"Where is he...? Where is Sephiroth!" Cloud asked a little more forcefully. His thoughts were getting more erratic. The girl's eyes' trembled, and her pupils flickered from side to side, refusing to stare into the blond's penetrating gaze.

"Aeris, _please_..." The blond coaxed softly, "Tell me where Sephiroth is."

The brunette moved her dry cracked lips before cowering into the swordsman's shoulder; her shoulder's racketing with her silent sobbing.

The blond's brows furrowed in worry and tried to draw the brunette further from his frame. He needed an answer. He needed to know whether Sephiroth was in the building...or if he wasn't...where he had gone. But Aeris refused to reply, no matter how much he pleaded for an answer.

"Aeris?" he asked softly. "Why won't you say anything?"

**__**

"Because she is mute."

"Huh?"

The blond's eyes darted towards the crimson eyed gunman, as did the rest of Avalanche.

"What did you say?" Cloud asked hesitantly, hoping that he did not hear what he thought he heard.

"- - - - - " The gunman refrained from repeating his answer, and the blond could not hide the look of shock that struck his face.

"Mute?" The blond repeated dumbly, staring down at the top of the brunette's head, while she continued to silently cry into his shoulder.

"Aeris-" Cloud asked softly, unable to hide the strain of worry in his voice.

The brunette's hands tensed around him for a moment and the brunette pushed her face even further into the blond's collar bone, causing Cloud to cringe slightly when he felt the warm dribble of wet tears trickle down his bare shoulder.

"-...is this...true?"

"Aeris?"

The girl had no chance to answer before her eyes rolled backwards in her head, while her body unceremoniously collapsed inside the blond's muscled arms.

The blond's eyes widened in alarm, as he felt the girl's entire weight push against his frame. He quickly moved his hands down to the girl's waist, to keep her from sagging to the floor before him.

"Aeris!" the blond exclaimed softly, as his face contorted in a look of unconcealed panic.

The blond called the girl's name out again...

But the brunette did not make a single response.

"Is Aeris alright?" Tifa asked in worry as she moved towards her dumb stricken leader, and stared at the unconscious flower-girl lying in the blond's arms.

"I think she has just fainted," the blond answered quietly while staring down at the brunette's tears, that were still lingering on her pale cheeks.

And then glaring mako eyes slowly turned back to the crimson clothed gunman.

The blond was in no mood to deal with any more secrets. "Tell me everything you know."

Vincent stared at the blond in a moment of silent contemplation, before slowly nodding in dubious agreement..

**__**

Back to the Present...Somewhere across the endless sea...

The blond leader of Avalanche sighed wearily, as he raked one gloved hand through his spiky locks. The hot sun was beating down on his sweaty skin and it felt almost unbearable. It had only been three days since they had found Aeris, and so much had happened...and there was still so much that he did not understand.

That day he had found Aeris, Cloud had interrogated the gunman for hours on end, refusing to stop even when the gunman replied that he knew nothing else.

But it wasn't because the blonde thought that Vincent was holding back information from him. The problem was how the gunman's words seemed to provide more questions than answers. Regardless, the blond had managed to understand a couple of things after listening to the taciturn gunman.

T_hat Sephiroth had a human mother..._

And that she wasn't Jenova...

And how Sephiroth had a human father...

And his name was...Hojo..?

The blond still could not get over that startling realisation.

The greasy psychotic git shared the blood with the greatest SOLDIER on the planet!

__

Cloud knew that Aeris had travelled with Sephiroth.

And that Sephiroth had tried to kill her.

But Vincent had defeated Sephiroth and saved Aeris...

However Sephiroth's body had miraculously disappeared off the face of the planet!

The last revelation stunned and confused the blond beyond all regular thought.

__

'And from what Vincent depicted, I can't see anyone surviving five fatal gunshots to the brain and heart...'

'No normal man would have been able to survive...'

'...but...'

'Sephiroth was never a normal man...'

'Why did he attempt to kill Aeris in Nibelheim...when he could have simply killed her from the very beginning?'

'Was it a ploy...a form of revenge against me?'

'And what about his body...?'

'Vincent said it was gone...?'

'So does that mean Sephiroth is still wandering around? Ready to seek revenge?'

'Or has he crawled inside the shadows, so that he can give his body the time to heal?'

'And if this ss true, would that then mean Sephiroth will inevitably return to find Aeris?'

Cloud could think of nothing to answer his own questions...

But more than anything else, Cloud wanted to know just one thing...

__

'Why was Aeris with Sephiroth in the first place?'

'- - - - - -'

However, the blond knew that the only person who could give him the answer, was Aeris herself. Cloud wanted to hear Aeris' story. She was the only one who knew what truly happened. She had talked to Sephiroth. She had stayed in his company for almost a month and the blond desperately wanted to know what had happened between them.

However...the girl was _mute_. The talkative and carefree woman that he knew and remembered back in Midgar had disappeared. Just the mere mention of Sephiroth's name reduced the girl to tears, and Cloud could only wonder about how much emotional torment the brunette must have went through, to make her personality change so drastically in just under a month! And just for that, Cloud knew that he would kill Sephiroth for even trying to harm Aeris!

Cloud remembered how he reacted Vincent had told him about what happened in the Nibel reactor. He remembered the anger he felt...the temptation to leave his team, and stalk straight into the Nibel mountains, regardless of the fact that he knew he was no match for the legendary swordsman that lurked in the shadowed hills. However it was common sense which reigned the blond's anger, and his flailing temper to a halt. For at the end of the day, the blond had to remind himself that, regardless of Sephiroth and what he had almost done, either way, Cloud had still managed to find Aeris and now she was truly safe...

And now he could finally fulfil his promise to protect her...

But that day he had made his promise to the flower-girl seemed so long, long ago...

'- - - - - - '

Cloud could only wonder what had happened to make Aeris turn that way. What Vincent had told him was not enough.

__

'...Vincent...'

Even now, Cloud did not know what to make of the crimson eyed gunman. The Ex-Turk had mentioned how he no affiliation with the Shinra corporation anymore...and yet...Cloud still found it difficult to trust him. There was something about him, something odd and disconcerting which caused the blond to have second thoughts about his decision on letting the stoic gunman join his team. Whilst at first, Vincent seemed rather reluctant to even talk to him in the mansion, but after Cloud told the gunman how Hojo was very much alive, the Ex-Turk seemed a little too eager to join the group...

The blond sighed to himself...So much had happened. Their party of four had doubled in size and now...

**__**

"Ah God-damnit!"

The blond was awoken from his thoughts by the sound of their newest companion.

A pilot from Rocket town, otherwise known as Cid Highwind. A man who could even give Barret's crude swearing a run for its money. His team met him as they were passing through Rocket town, seeking more information on Shinra and '**_him_**'. However, through sheer unfortunate luck, Cloud and his team encountered the President of Shinra himself, and Palmer, who attempted to steal Cid's prized possession, 'The Tiny Bronco', one of the greatest planes ever built. But after a rather ridiculously easy battle, Palmer was defeated, and Avalanche fled the town on the same plane that Rufus tried to steal. However...they did not escape unscathed...

"My beautiful Bronco! Those Shinra bastards! I'll make them pay!" The fair haired pilot cursed loudly, as he stared around at the damage of his prized plane, which was imitating a paddle boat rather well.

Cloud could not comment to the pilot, and so turned his head to face the others who were sitting rather uncomfortably across the makeshift boat.

"Is everyone alright?" Cloud asked softly.

Tifa nodded while rubbing a rather large, unsightly bruise which had spread itself across her left arm.

Red shook his head, flicking countless droplets of water out from his fiery red mane.

Yuffie shrugged at the blond's question, more interested about their whereabouts, rather than her own minor injuries.

Barret grumbled a little, but Cloud could see that the burly gunman was only a little disorientated.

Vincent said nothing, all the while staring at the blond as if his gaze could puncture through the blond's skin.

Cloud hastily turned his head away. Whilst the Ex-Turk had clearly explained his intentions of only wanting to find Hojo, the blond couldn't help but feel a little unsettled every time he set his gaze upon the mysterious gunman. There was something unnatural about him...something almost _evil_..?

"- - - - - "

And then the blond's eyes turned towards a certain pink dressed flower-girl. "Aeris?"

The brunette's green eyes slowly rose upwards to meet her leader's own before timidly nodding and turning away.

The blond leader sighed. It pained him to see Aeris like this when all he could remember were the memories of when she was so happy with him.

...and then the memory of a certain cross-dressing incident filled the blond's mind...

And Cloud tried to stop thinking altogether...

"Cloud?"

The blond wearily moved his head towards Tifa.

"What are we gonna do now?"

The Avalanche leader sighed, and tilted his head towards the blond pilot, who had recently given up on his swearing and was now focusing his attention on lighting a cigarette to his mouth.

"She won't fly anymore," Cid said carelessly, as he placed his lighter back in his oil greased pocket.

Cloud nodded. "But couldn't we use it as a boat?"

The pilot's silvery blue eyes locked on the younger blond for a few silent moments.

"Ah fuck it! Do whatever you want!" The pilot replied with a casual shrug, more interested with inhaling the toxic smoke from his cigarette, rather than talking to his new leader.

Cloud sighed. He knew it would take a while to get used to the pilot's never-ending swearing. "But Cid, what are you going to do now?"

The older blond paused mid inhale. "I dunno," he admitted honestly, as he stared down at the glowing embers at the end of his cigarette, before flicking the butt of it out to sea. "I'm history with the Shinra and I've given up on the town."

The pilot's callous answer managed to irk the blond a little, especially when he remembered a certain dark haired woman who kindly poured them tea. "But what 'bout your wife? What 'bout Shera?"

Cid choked loudly in both shock and disbelief. "Wife!" he snorted loudly. "Don't make me laugh! Just thinkin' 'bout marryin' her gives me the chills."

"- - - - "

Cloud didn't bother to respond. He already knew the story of why Cid disrespected the shy faced engineer, and so he wisely decided to say nothing.

"So what're you guys gonna do?" Cid asked randomly, after a few minutes of silence.

The younger blond pondered for a moment, for once thinking about what they were meant to be doing in the first place. His mako tinted eyes unconsciously moved towards Aeris, who was carelessly looking up at the blue, cloudless skies above.

"We were going after a man named Sephiroth..."

Cloud watched as Aeris visibly froze.

"But..." the blond continued as his gaze fell on Vincent, remembering his earlier words. "We're also going to go after Rufus and Shinra too."

The older pilot scratched the back of his head, accessing whether the young blond was telling the truth with his narrowed ice blue eyes.

"I don't know what you guys are up to but...Aw what the hell! Sign me up!" Cid exclaimed loudly, as he removed another cigarette from his pocket, and proceeded to light it just like before.

Cloud turned for the others for guidance. "So what do you guys think?"

Vincent shrugged carelessly. " ...Do whatever you like. " he stated indifferently, more or less voicing everyone else's opinion at that very moment.

"Glad to be aboard, numbskulls!"

Cloud blinked in bemusement as he turned his head back to their newest companion. "Numbskulls...?"

The blond pilot nodded as he flicked a little ash over the boat. "Well yeah! Anyone stupid enough to go up against Shinra nowadays, has GOTTA be a numbskull! And that's why I like it! So, where we headed then? Rufus said he was goin' after Sephiroth, towards the Temple of the Ancients right?"

Cloud's ears perked up in interest. "Rufus is after Sephiroth! And the Temple of the Ancients?"

"Well that's what he told me. I don't know nuthin about it though," Cid replied as he took another puff of his cigarette. "But I remember that numbskull brat was tellin' me he was headin' in 'The wrong direction'... so maybe it's off this way?"

It was more than Cloud could ever hope for. Even though he was unaware of the whereabouts of Sephiroth...let alone whether he was alive or not, the blond knew that he might find more answers if he went to this 'Temple of the Ancients'.

__

'Hey...isn't Aeris an Ancient too...?'

'Maybe she might know something about Sephiroth's interest in this place?'

The blond didn't think it could hurt to ask, and so he turned his gaze to his unusually silent flower-girl.

"Aeris...?"

Large, despondent green eyes slowly moved upwards to meet his own.

"Did Sephiroth ever mention about travelling to this 'Temple of the Ancients?" Cloud questioned softly.

The brunette quickly turned her head away from her leader, and Cloud only realised too late the mistake of his actions. He had said 'his' name.

'Damnit.' The blond cursed mentally as he saw the brunette's face curl up in sadness.

Aeris looked like she was about to cry.

But despite this, the brunette still managed to weakly shook her head in a negative, in answer to his question.

"It's alright Aeris," Cloud uttered softly, hating himself for making the girl so upset, and feeling even more uncomfortable, since all eyes on the ship were now scrutinising him so intensely.

'- - - - -'

Especially one certain pair of eyes, which stared at him in the darkest shades of bleeding crimson.

The Ex-Turk; _Vincent Valentine._

Cloud could feel the gunman's eyes burning into the back of his head, and it made him feel rather discomforted. The blond had noticed this countless times before; that whenever Aeris was around, the Ex-Turk would always be watching her, carpeting her every move, listening to everything that anyone would say to her. If Cloud didn't know any better, he would have assumed that the gunman was acting as Aeris bodyguard?

"- - - - "

Cloud really didn't know what to make of that thought...

All he knew was that he could feel another headache coming on.

**__**

Aeris...p.o.v...

Staring into the endless blue skies made Aeris appear so calm and reposed. Anyone who did not know her properly would never think that a girl such as she, could ever possess a single care in the world. Her dark emerald eyes were focused on the brightly lit sky and her skin was basked in the rays of the sun's burning warmth on her delicate face and arms. But her mind, so unattached from the limitations of the skin, and the body's perception of feeling and freedom, could not help but have the ability to add memories to everything surrounding her, manipulating her thoughts of the present, into memories of the past. So when she stared at the clear skies, and smelt the faint salt of the air, Aeris was instead reminiscing the odious stench beneath the Midgar plate; and when she stared up into the blue tinted colours which painted the sky above, all she could see were long tarnished pipes which looped around thick slabs of cracked silver, and the puffs of green mist colouring her vision around her.

Even through Aeris could see the differences around her, the brunette felt her mind being constantly drawn back to the past. No matter what she saw, it would always lead her back to a memory usually tainted with pain and sadness. So when her gaze fell from the skies, and Aeris turned her eyes downwards to the calmness of the sea, and the faint flickers of light, rippling through the oscillating waves, Aeris could only remember the time when the waters were not so calm. When the waters roared, and when they filled her mouth and ears, forcing her under with the true fury of nature's power. And then seeing his face...and feeling his powerful arms around her, as he pulled her upwards and into his strong embrace...

The brunette averted her eyes from the water, and turned her gaze back to her 'companions' sitting around her. Tifa who was sitting on her left, was talking across to Barret about something regarding the direction they were going. Cloud was sitting just across from her, and was moving their 'boat', by using his huge sword as a rather unconventional oar. The sight was somewhat amusing, as Aeris watched the thick blade of metal imitate the movements of a common wooden plank. But the brunette wasn't really in the mood to smile, let alone laugh at the poor blonds attempt of moving them towards land.

The blond pilot Cid sat on the opposite side of Cloud, and had materialised a long spear (from where, Aeris did not know), and was copying the younger blond's movements on the other side of the plane, every once and a while cursing at Cloud to slow down a little. Aeris had only known the blond pilot back in Rocket Town for less than a day. However, despite his crude language, the brunette did not feel particularly afraid in his presence. He hadn't really said a word to her, nor had he really glanced at her in particular, and for that Aeris was grateful.

And then Aeris turned her gaze to Avalanche's four legged friend.

The dog Red mildly puzzled her. She remembered seeing him back in the Shinra Headquarters, howling in agony from the countless shots that Hojo had administered upon him; and when she heard him talk, Aeris remembered how she managed to imitate the face of a blowfish rather well. But regardless of Red's canine appearance, she held no fear of him...

However, there was only one member in Avalanche who sent a small inkling of fear through her...

And it was by someone she would have never thought of...

Let alone expected...

Aeris was afraid of _Cloud..._

It wasn't like she was so terrified of him that she would leap out of the plane and swim to shore. It was just that, whenever he was around her, and when she stared at him...she could feel her heart race, and she knew it wasn't through excitement or joy...

The first time she felt this was when the blond had tried to talk to her on the first night, he wrapped her arms up in clean bandages and asked her questions that he knew she could not speak.

And when those ice blue mako eyes stared down at her, flecked with violet and ivory tints of emotion, she felt her body instinctively recoil away. Aeris knew that Cloud had not noticed her reaction. In truth, she didn't even move...nor did she really flinch. But Aeris had felt something inside of her burn; something, which tried to force her across the bed, and push her as far away from the blond as possible!

__

She just couldn't explain what it was...

She first thought that it could be to do with the eyes...

But then Aeris realised that it couldn't have been true...

It wasn't like they had the same eyes. They weren't even the same colour. Nor the same shape. But no matter what she thought, all Aeris knew was that whenever she stared into Cloud's eyes, all she could see was 'him'. That same burning intensity. The same roaring glow of mako staring down at her without remorse; without regret, as he whispered how he was going to take her life away that very night. Aeris remembered vomiting up all the food they had forced her to swallow that night they found her, and she was sure that some had landed on the Cloud's boots. She also remembered how the blond tried to reassure her, but the more Cloud tried to calm her down, the more terrified she became. Cloud's actions reminded her so terribly of 'him'. How he hushed her cries, and soothed her hair with his slender hands. How he looked at her with eyes unsuited to a lover...nor of a friend...

"- - - - "

Aeris could feel herself going green in the face, and it wasn't because of motion sickness...unlike a certain 'Wutain ninja' who was currently hurling out the entire contents of her stomach into the calm blue sea.

__

'...Yuffie...'

When Aeris first saw her inside the Nibelheim Mansion, Aeris remembered how she had fell down to her knees in shock, and how her wide green eyes overflowed with tears at the sight of a girl she had once thought to be dead. The teen seemed a little stunned to see her too, and even now, Aeris noticed how Yuffie could not make eye contact with her, nor would she ever attempt to sit or walk anywhere near her.

And it was that thought which brought Aeris back to reality. Even though there were so many people around her, it only made her feel all the more lonely. She felt so alienated around them all; so lost and confused. She felt that Cloud and the others would never be able to understand her, even if she had not lost her voice. But then, Aeris doubted that even if she could speak, she would have been able to say a single word about 'that' night. Even when she mouthed his name on her silent lips, it still had the power to fill her eyes with tears.

Just like now..

The brunette sniffed quietly, trying to hide her tears from the others by concealing them beneath her curly bangs. She hated how weak she felt. How her emotions managed to control her very being; and so in an attempt to console herself, the brunette turned her gaze downwards to her clasped hands in her lap. But Aeris realised that it was a very wrong action to do. For every time she looked at her hands, all she could see was 'his' blood staining her fingers, dribbling downwards to land on his lifeless corpse.

The brunette squeezed her eyes shut, and clenched her eyes tightly.

The lump in her throat began to get even bigger.

She simply couldn't forget.

Her mind would always _remember.._.

Sephiroth...the only one who had truly understood her...the only man she had ever loved with her entire heart...was **_dead_**..

But fascinatingly enough, even at the thought of his death, Aeris could not get her tears to fall...

When she thought she was going to cry she wouldn't...

And when she wanted to stop the tears from flowing, she couldn't.

She was no longer in control of her emotions..

And Aeris doubted that her heart could ever be healed from such painful sorrow...

She sent a prayer to the heavens.#

o.o.o

**__**

And the boat ride continued on...

o.o.o

__

"Are you alright?"

The brunette jumped slightly at the quiet voice from behind her. She had totally forgotten about Vincent. She carefully turned her head around to stare at eyes tinted with the colour of fresh blood.

Aeris nodded weakly, scrubbing away the tears which clouded her vision.

The gunman scrutinized her a little more, before giving her a slight nod of his own and turning his gaze back to the sea..

However Aeris continued to stare at him...

The Ex-Turks presence comforted her considerably. In a way, Vincent did not treat her like the others. He didn't attempt to baby coddle her, nor did he truly ignore her presence, and now that the brunette could look past the gunman's appearance, Aeris could see the compassion and kindness that was concealed within his icy countenance, and hidden beneath his rather bone chilling remarks. For as disbelieving as it was to admit to herself, out of everyone else in Avalanche, Aeris felt most comfortable with the taciturn gunman, especially when she remembered how they had sat side by side when he played the piano.

But what made the gunman stand out more to her than anything else was one small memory that she had when Avalanche was questioning her about the whereabouts of **_him_**. For when everyone had asked her about 'him', Vincent was the only one who asked about 'her', and for that, Aeris was grateful.

The brunette felt her mouth tilt upwards into the most tiniest of smiles at the thought, as she turned her head to stare at the crimson cloaked gunman whose eyes were settled on a random distance in the far north, and as she saw his claret eyes tones flicker her way, the brunette felt her lips rise higher in amusement at the bemused look the silent gunman was sending her way.

And then Aeris turned her back to the sea, listening to the faint sounds of squalling seagulls in the distance, and barely registering the faint banter of her companions around her.

For now there was only one thought on her mind...

She hoped that the next place they visited would have a piano, because she wanted to hear Vincent play that bittersweet melody to her again.

**__**

2hrs later...

**__**

Somewhere across the Wutai Plains...

"I knew it! I just knew we couldn't trust her!" Barret bellowed angrily, as he checked his pockets for what seemed the hundredth time. "That no good brat stole my materia!"

Cloud frowned, as he stared down at his own materia inventory which had more gaps than he remembered, before turning his gaze to the empty slots across his broadsword.

In one single battle against Shinra, Yuffie had managed to steal all their materia from right under their noses. To say that Cloud was annoyed, would be an understatement of the year.

"Did anyone manage to keep their materia?" The blond sighed in mild exasperation, as he eyed his annoyed team-mates.

"She took all mine Cloud," Tifa sighed as she presented her empty gauntlets to her leader's mako tinted gaze.

"She took mine too," Red added calmly.

"I didn't have any to begin with," Cid chuckled loudly, as he twirled his bloodstained spear to the ground. "You cheap fuckers didn't even bother to give me any!"

Cloud frowned at the older blond, before turning his gaze on the silent gunman. "Vincent?"

Vincent refused to comment as he stared blankly at his silver rifle, and the empty slots which greeted his eyes.

Then Cloud turned towards a certain green eyed brunette.

"Aeris?"

The flower-girl silently shook her head, however her hands began to play with the green orb that was gleaming prettily against her chestnut locks.

"Well...I've still got this level two fire materia that I have always kept inside my pocket," The blond said softly as he raised the flaming orb to everyone's vision, before securing it inside his weapon.

"Well isn't this great! How are we going to go up against Shinra when we only have one piece of materia to fight with!" Cid exclaimed, however it was more in ill-humour rather than real anger.

"She set this trap up all along! I'm gonna kill her when I find her!" Barret continued to howl, stomping his feet like a madman. "Come on Spike! We're gotta find her! Where do you think she has gone!"

"Wutai is up ahead," Vincent commented dryly, as he began to move in the direction of the town, regardless to the fact that no-one else was following him.

The leader of Avalanche sighed, before signalling the rest of his team to follow the crimson cloaked gunman.

**__**

The Town of Wutai...

Avalanche had been walking the streets of Wutai for a certain teenaged ninja to no avail, and they were all less than amused. After checking inside the weapon's shop for what seemed the hundredth time, and passing over the koi bridge, Barret had finally had enough.

"Where the hell did that brat go!" Barret groaned out loud, as he turned his head in all directions, in an attempt to catch sight of the mischievous materia thief. However, he was unable to find any traces of the short-haired teen, nor could he find any leads from the village folk. They had been walking around in circles, and still, they had found nothing.

Cloud sighed, as he wiped at his sweaty brow, stretching and cringing in discomfort with the way his clothes stuck to his back and chest due to the rivers of sweat pooling down his skin. The sun was simply becoming too much to bear, and he knew that his skin would blister and burn if he stayed outside in the heat any longer. Plus, he felt so dirty and sticky, and he knew that he could not be smelling overly pleasant. He could barely remember the last time he had a shower! But still, Cloud knew that he had to find his materia, no matter what the cost. They had all collected so much, from rare healing materia, to some phenomenally powerful red summon materia. He couldn't let all his team's hard work go to waste!

"Hey Cloud! Why don't we check da pub next?" the burly gunman asked forcefully, as his small dark eyes centred on a building which had a small green tortoise emblazed across one of its many signs. "Dere has to be at least one drunk here 'dat must hav' seen 'da brat," Barret added, while the blond wordlessly nodded in agreement to his words. They hadn't checked the pub yet so it seemed like a good place to search.

So Cloud began to follow Barret, but before he could even take a few steps forward, the blond was stopped by a female voice from behind. "Hey you guys?"

Cloud and Barret both stopped and turned towards Tifa who was swiftly jogging up towards them,

"What's wrong Tifa?" Cloud asked in confusion, after seeing the unsettled expression in the brunette's eyes.

"Its Aeris. She's not feeling too good." The brunette replied quickly, as she gestured behind her; to a certain pink dressed flowergirl who was leaning tiredly against one of the wutainese pagodas, with Vincent and Red standing protectively on either side of her.

No sooner than she had said it, Tifa watched as Cloud, darted over to their sick companion.

"Aeris, are you alright?" The blond asked carefully as he leaned over the frail brunette.

The brunette in question blinked slowly, before unsurely nodding to herself. She tried to move away from the building behind her, but no sooner than she had moved, her body gave way, and everyone watched as Aeris sagged to the ground like a broken puppet.

"Aeris!" Tifa and Cloud cried out, as they bent over their fallen friend.

The flowergirl sighed silently, and raised her eyes upwards to blearily stare at the blond kneeling in front of her.

Cloud placed a hand on the brunette's damp forehead, and winced sharply when he felt the girl's temperature even through the thickness of the leather gloves.

Sweat was beading down her head in rivulets and her face was practically burning up!

"I think the heat has got to her," Cloud concluded to himself, eyeing the others for their own personal diagnosis.

"Have we got anything that could reduce this fever?" Cloud asked Tifa, who was currently scurmaging through their large inventory kit for anything of use.

"Um...We've got a few different types of potions. A couple of hypers," Tifa mumbled to herself as she knelt down to the floor and began unzipping the sides of her rucksack. "Um...more hypers...and um...nope...nothing."

"We should get her out of this heat," Vincent said quietly, as he drew himself away from the shadows between the sakura trees, which he was leaning against just before.

"As if we didn't know that," Cid added to himself, as he watched Cloud lift the weak brunette off the floor.

"Does anyone know of any Inns nearby?" Cloud asked, looking at the others for guidance.

"I saw a sign over there," Red stated, as he pointed his uncomfortably dry nose in the direction of a large sign across the right hand side of his vision.

"Right. Lets go to the Inn first, and then we can look for Yuffie later," Cloud replied softly, as he repositioned the sick girl in his arms. But no sooner than he said it, a flash of colour darted past the corner of his eye, followed by the sound of Barret's startled cry.

"Hey! I just spotted Yuffie!" Barret bellowed as he pointed his giant gunarm in the direction of the Turtle Inn pub, or more specifically a blur of cream and green dart between their wide sliding doors.

"I think I saw her too!" Tifa added over the gunman's shoulder, as she turned her eyes from the Inn, then to the pub, then eventually back to her blond haired leader.

"...hn..."

Cloud knew he was faced with a rather difficult choice.

But before the blond could even make a decision, Vincent swiftly drew the brunette out of the blond's arms and silently made his way into the inn, not looking back even once.

The rest of Avalanche blinked in confusion at the sight of their friend being carried away in the arms of the crimson cloaked gunman.

"Hey!" Cloud cried out in alarm, as he swivelled around on his foot, to send a startled glare at Vincent. "Where are you going with Aeris?"

The Ex-Turk stopped, and slightly turned his eyes to stare at the blond swordsman between the sheath of his dark ebony bangs.

"I'm taking her away from the_ light_..." he muttered softly, and with that, Vincent disappeared inside the Inn with an a barely coherent Aeris in his arms.

The rest of Avalanche became unearthly silent.

"- - - - - - "

"Shouldn't we go after him?" Tifa asked eventually, as she turned towards her blond leader.

Cloud frowned, totally at loss of what to do.

"Why don't I follow them?" Red stated calmly. "And you can go after Yuffie. I think that was what Vincent intended you to do."

"But Vincent isn't our leader!" Tifa protested sharply. "He shouldn't be telling what to do! Nor should he simply take Aeris away like that!"

"Tifa," Cloud said quietly. "Lets just get our materia back. We'll deal with Vincent later."

The Zangan warrior, frowned at the blond, before reluctantly nodding.

"Right, Red, you go to the Inn and meet up with Vincent and Aeris. We should be there shortly." Cloud commanded quietly.

The large flame tailed beast nodded in understanding, before slowly padding in the same direction that Vincent had just walked, only a few seconds before.

"Come on you guys, the rest of us are going to go after Yuffie," Cloud said softly as he turned and began to jog towards the Turtle pub, with the rest of his team following him in tow.

xxx

**__**

After a rather unexpected turn of events, Cloud found the cheeky Wutain ninja. After a few minutes of 'conversation' Yuffie very 'reluctantly' gave back all the materia she had stolen from Avalanche, and had rejoined the team once more. Now many hours had passed since that happened, and everyone was finally reunited again inside the Wutai Inn... well nearly everyone...but a certain Wutain ninja, and a rather infamous crimson eyed Ex-Turk who were having a rather strange conversation on top of the Da Chou mountains...

xxx

"Hey! You're Wutainese right?" Yuffie asked absently, as she began swaying her legs back and forth in the air.

The gunman sighed as his crimson eyed gaze stared at the red warmth of the descending sun, turning the sky into pale shades of fuchsia and soft indigo.

"Why do you wish to know?" Vincent asked after a moment.

"Its because you look like one," the teen replied. "...well sort of..." she amended as she gazed at the pale expanse of skin peaking out from beneath the gunman's mantle, and then at the dark garnet eyes framed by lashes so thick that they put the ninja's own beauty to shame. The gunman did not even bother to comment, and continued to simply stare out into the distance.

The ninja took this chance to scrutinize the Ex-Turk even more. " Hey Vinnie? Have you got any fangs hidden inside that closed mouth of yours?" Yuffie asked cheekily.

Vincent shot the teen a cold look. "I am not a vampire," the gunman stated in a deadpan tone, as he folded his arms to his chest in mild exasperation.

"You could've fooled me," The Wutain princess mumbled to herself, causing the gunman's eyes to narrow in growing annoyance, but he still refrained from answering.

A few minutes passed.

"So..." Yuffie began.

"- - - - " The gunman waited for the teen to continue...

"What is going on with you and _her_?"

Crimson eyes flickered to the ninja's side. "What are you talking about now?"

"You know who! Little Miss Mute! For the last few days, you have been tailing her every move, like a little lost puppy!" The teen exclaimed, as she turned her gaze to the skies. "Even Cloud has noticed, and he is observant as a brick. You wouldn't believe how much gil I have stolen from him since I've joined his team."

The ninja proved her point by revealing a couple of velvet pouches that the gunman recognised belonging to the blond haired swordsman.

"You shouldn't do that..." Vincent replied quietly.

"Well, it'd be a crime to let an idiot keep their money! If Cloud was smarter, then he'd realise I'd stolen his stash of gil on the first day that I met him ..." the ninja began before pausing in thought. "Hey! Stop trying to change the subject! I was talking about you here, not Spiky! As I was saying, everyone has noticed how you are always staring at Aeris."

"- - - - - "

And then her grey tinted eyes turned back to her taciturn companion. "I bet you have the **_hots_** for her, don't cha?"

The gunman's shoulder's stiffened, and he shot a glare that could have scared away a giant behemoth.

"- - - - - "

However the Great Ninja Yuffie could not be scared away so easily. Instead, the gunman's expression served to heighten the girl's amusement.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"- - - - - -"

"You like her! You like her!" The ninja chanted cheekily.

"Aeris and Vinnie sitting in the tree, _k-i-s-s-i-n-g_.-"

At those words, the gunman had, had enough.

"You are being ridiculous," he said coldly.

"Hey! I'm only saying what I can see-" The ninja protested.

"You are only _imagining_ things," The gunman said pointedly.

"Ha! The more you try to deny it! Only proves that it's true!" The teen crowed in delight as she saw an uncomfortable flush creep across the gunman's face.

"Stop being so childish, and grow up." The gunman said coldly, as he turned and left the cheeky brunette alone to contemplate his final words...

o.o.o

The gunman continued to walk along the mountains, unable to shake the ninja's voice out of his head.

Vincent did not want to believe that the ninja's words had affected him. But they had. He had went to the Da Chou mountains to get him the privacy he had so desperately craved since he had joined Cloud's team, and the time to contemplate over everything that had happened...

Vincent believed the only reason he was being protective of Aeris was because she was in need of his protection...

He knew that there was no other reason.

Aeris was just an innocent that had suffered by cruel hands encased in darkness...

And he was protecting her because the girl did not deserve to be hurt again...

...and no matter how much the flowergirl reminded him of 'her'.

Of his beloved...

Vincent knew that Aeris **_still _**wasn't his_ Lucrecia.._.

And that was why Yuffie's words were so preposterous...

**__**

"I bet you have the hots for her, don't cha?"

The gunman turned his head away...

The ninja was wrong...

It was such a ridiculous idea...

He was just playing the role of protector...

Nothing more...

__

'But if that is true...if I feel nothing for the girl...why do Yuffie's words continue to haunt my mind?'

The gunman drew back his fist and punched a nearby wall.

"- - - - - "

Vincent could not deny that whenever he saw her..

Aeris always became the entire object of his attention.

He knew every moment when the girl had been crying.

He had watched every moment, that the girl had tried to smile...

Vincent had noticed so many things about her which the others had all failed to see...

And more than anything else...

Vincent could sense the loneliness which shrouded her...

And the words she silently kept hidden when he stared into her soft green eyes...

The gunman violently punched the wall again, feeling the rock crack beneath his golden knuckles.

__

'No...Lucrecia is my only one true love...'

'And not even the Gods can deny that truth...'

Vincent felt his entire body slither down the wall behind him. His long black legs colliding to the floor, knee first. The gunman moved his face so that it touched the coolness of the rock behind him; feeling the roughness of its texture beneath his pale skin.

And then he closed his eyes...

And Vincent tried to remember...

Of the times when he had almost achieved happiness...

And the days when he remembered his beloved Lucrecia smiling down upon him...

And the sacred memories he had of her, flooded through his mind.

And in that spot, on the cold mountains of Da Chou.

Vincent reminisced.

And Vincent remembered...

And as the minutes continued on into hours...

Vincent let time be sacrificed in memory for the past...

o.o.o

The sun had departed from the sky, and now nightfall filled the skies in shades of shadow and silver.

But in the distance, Vincent heard the sound of a twig breaking.

And the gunman's body tensed.

His crimson eyes snapped open and darted to his left.

But what he saw made his brain transform into water...

His sniper vision caught sight of chestnut hair blowing in the wind, attached to a familiar woman gazing out on the fingertips of the Da Chou mountains..

The gunman felt his entire body freeze in position as he stared at the woman from his thoughts encased in the mysterious beauty of the moonlight.

**__**

'...Aeris?'

**__**

Author's Notes...Whew. This chapter is finally finished. Wow. I'm really getting into the idea of Vincent and Aeris together. With a few carefully pulled strings, I believe it is possible that those two would make a very good pairing together...But ah...since I'm a Sephiroth/Aeris shipper, I'm afraid that Vincent won't be the one to get the girl at the end of the day. Plus Vincent is far too emotionally and spiritually tied to Lucrecia to even consider loving anyone else...hn...as for the Yuffentine... Hn, you know what...I've never really read into that pairing. Sure, I've seen hints of it in a couple of fics but I have never really read a real good one. If anyone knows of a great V/Y fic that is highly recommended, please tell me about it in your review..for you see, I want to understand why so many ppl like it...and the only way to know is through reading a good one. lol.

**__**

Heh. This chapter was fairly uneventful...ish. I bet most of you guys noticed how I sped up the pace in the first few paragraphs. Its a lazy tactic, but I know you guys are far more interested in Aeris' story (or more precisely the SH bishies) than the thoughts and feelings going through...in say...Barret or Red's head. lol. But still, I thought it was important to show Cloud's thoughts, and the development of his views about Aeris and Sephiroth...of course, I wanted to not go OTT with the description so I kinda let it flow from place til place, till my brain told me to stop! Lol

**__**

But ah...the next chapter will be Vincent and Aeris chappie with a splash of a certain SHB right at the end. If you want me to update faster, you'll all need to review! I only work through extreme pressure, so if I don't think a lot of ppl are reading...then my brain kinda...takes a three month holiday without permission... so to prevent that from happening. Review guys. Review!

Ja ne

Aer-seph4eva

Oh and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me or msn me or whatever. Lol

P.S

Oh random comment, do any of you guys own a Myspace? Just curious...


	6. A New Hope

****

To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story

****

11014 Words

****

Chapter 6 A New Hope

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol

Author's Notes

Heh! I really can't believe that I am finally writing this Chapter! I've had this chappie in my head for a long, long, long time, and it has really distracted me over the last few weeks. lol. So... Kadaj is finally going to make his entrance... Yay! Yay! Yay! I have to warn you guys to try and not judge Kaddy when you first meet him... I know a lot of ppl characterise Kaddy in a rather fixed manner, but...lets just say that mine is gonna be a little more unconventional than most...in a good way though. :)

__

"We all live...  
We all die...  
That does not begin to justify you..."

: Evanescence - Bleed; I must be Dreaming (Is it me or does this line really remind you of a certain silver haired someone? lol)

Hmm. As for my musical muse today, I am listening to everything that sounds remotely Japanese. From the main themes from 'The Last Samurai', to some of the most gorgeous pieces from Rurouni Kenshin's 'Memories'. I essentially want to envision the Da Chou mountains, and try to see and feel through the eyes of Vincent and Aeris as I write this chappy. Hn. I already know that this chapter is gonna be real pain to write about, but either way, I'll know that it'll be worth it, for in the end, this chapter is gonna be a pivotal scene for what will happen in the rest of my story. lol.

****

Hnn...so without any further adieu...

On with the fic!

"Aeris...?" Vincent breathed to the air; as his pale, unsettled features took in the young, petite woman standing just a few metres away. Her facial profile was locked to one side, as if she was looking out beyond the cold light of the moon; with an expression on her face which could almost mimic insightful repose. The gunman stared at the way the brunette's hair, which was surprisingly free from its usual braid; serenely billowed out from behind the girl's narrow shoulders; dancing through the gentle air like a river of warm chocolate; each tip coiling and flexing beyond the brunette's vision, as if trying to soar upwards and merge into the cold night sky above.

"- - - - - -"

As the seconds passed, Aeris still appeared to not have noticed Vincent seated at the edge of her vision. Her calm green eyes blinked slowly, inviting the gentle hues of the ice white moon to paint soft filigree patterns against her pale lips and chin.

The gunman then slowly moved his gaze from the brunette's upper profile, and began looking downwards, upon her arms, which were thankfully free from blemish and bandage, before turning his dark and mysterious gaze to the brunette's apparel.

It still confused him, how Aeris was still clothed in her simple dress; the same pink fabric which Vincent knew was far too thin to even contain the smallest snippet of warmth. He was sure that the girl must have been freezing, since Wutai was never known for having especially warm nights... and yet Vincent could clearly see with his sharp nocturnal vision, that Aeris was unaffected by the cold. She wasn't even shivering.

"- - -?"

And as if Aeris had heard his breathless sigh of confusion, the brunette slowly turned around, revealing her entire ice toned face to the gunman's indulgent gaze.

And Vincent truly stared.

At that moment, Aeris appeared more Faye than human. The pale moonlight played with her delicate features, enhancing each shape, and every curve of the brunette's body into deliciously tempting pieces of flesh. The gunman could not believe how a girl who oozed of so much sweet innocence, could manage to instil such a burning need inside his twitching heart. Vincent knew he was staring at pure perfection. A nymph blessed by the light of mother nature...a flower that had fully blossomed...and yet...

...the only thing that the gunman could think of, at that very moment...was of her...of his '_beloved_'... of his...

'.._Lucrecia_..'

Vincent sighed; turning his head from the silent beauty, trying to look at something...'anything', which would distract his mind from the sinful temptation that he could see with his pure, red, demon eyes. Since he was still sitting on the ground, and his back was ruthlessly pressed against the unrelenting hardness of the mountain rock behind him, Vincent let his mind become fully absorbed within the harsh coldness of his surroundings, rather than to submit himself to the exquisite scent, and the glorious sight of the dark haired beauty before him.

But then the faint sound of shuffling caused the gunman to turn his head back towards the silent brunette, and Vincent watched in visible confusion as the girl gracefully stepped towards him, as if she was walking on air.

And then Aeris stopped right before him..

And that was when Vincent realised another puzzling find...

Aeris was wearing no shoes...?

Her customary gaudy, brown boots were nowhere to be seen. Aeris wasn't even wearing any socks. The brunette's small, white feet were entirely bare, and free of any form of blemish; and Vincent watched in mild bemusement, as the girl gracefully moved towards his left side, before carefully sliding down the wall to kneel right beside him.

The Ex-Turk blinked, staring at the girl in total mystification; however Aeris seemed content enough to simply sit beside him in the cold, with nothing but her simple cotton pink dress to keep her warm.

"- - - - - - "

The gunman's crimson tinted eyes, stared silently at the young woman beside him...

However, the flower-girl did not attempt to make a move...

And as the silent seconds ticked on...

The gunman eventually turned his head away...staring back out towards the blackened horizons in the distance.

"- - - - - -"

0o-0o0-o0

__

And so they both sat together,

in mutable silence...two companions,

simply stared up at the faint shimmering stars of twilight.

Thinking of everything and nothing...

Letting time be sacrificed for memory...

Letting dream reign over reality...

0o-0o0-o0

Vincent did not know how much time had passed between them, when he next began to speak.

"It's getting colder," he said softly to the air, unable to think of anything else to say.

However Aeris merely nodded in reply, as she continued to star-gaze.

"You should get back to Cloud..." the gunman continued on, as he turned his gaze downwards into his lap; or more precisely, to his golden claw, which appeared almost maliciously cruel, with how the moonlight glinted at the tips of his razor sharp claws; reminding him how easy it would be... to bend the most strongest of metals...how little effort it would take... to shred through the thickest skin and muscle...to crush the most blackest of ice...and to fracture the most densest of bones...

"- - - - - - "

Vincent averted his demon eyes to the side, refusing to look at the proof of his eternal sin, that was etched onto his left arm.

"The others must be worried."

The brunette nodded again at his words, however she made no attempt to act on them.

"- - - -- "

The gunman mentally sighed. It did not seem that the girl was going to listen to him anytime soon. Not that it really mattered to him. Vincent knew that Aeris could choose to do whatever she wanted. He was not her father, and Vincent knew that he would never attempt to play such a role to her. However, what bemused the gunman so, was how a girl; who earlier on in the day...was festered with so much heat and illness...could now.. fearlessly gallivant around, in the artic coolness of the night, without even wearing a single pair of shoes to protect her small, dainty feet!

"- - - - - - "

Vincent knew that he wouldn't be surprised, if the girl ended up making herself **sick** again...

However...what did **_surprise_** him...

Was how the idea of Aeris getting sick again... could so very easily **_disturb_** him...

0o-0o0-o0

**__**

"You've got the hots for her!"

0o-0o0-o0

The gunman flinched at the memory, and he turned his head to his right side, encasing his face inside the shadows of his crimson cloak. He just did not want to think anymore. The ninja girl had polluted his head with stupidity. How could he have such an attachment...an attraction to a girl that he barely knew...? Not only that, the very same girl that had been so very obviously enamoured with his beloved's son. The thought that someone could even ponder about seeing Aeris and himself in such a way, now seemed all the more inappropriate, not to mention, even more disturbing in his mind.

__

'...Sephiroth...'

Now that was a name which had the power to sober the Ex-Turk of all thought and feeling. The silver haired swordsman. _Lucrecia's_ son. The man who had both captured and broke the heart of the woman beside him. The man who he had shot at with the intent to kill...the same man who Aeris most likely believed to be dead...?

"-!"

The gunman felt himself freeze in alarm, as he repeated the last thought in his head, before slowly turning his gaze back to the silent brunette sitting beside him. In the few days that had passed, Vincent knew that he had not had the opportunity to speak to Aeris about that fateful night; and since Cloud nor anyone else were able to get Aeris to talk, the gunman knew that it was likely that Aeris believed the swordsman to be dead.

The gunman's lips drew downwards into a cold frown.

Vincent did not like the idea of Aeris being deceived by her memories of what she believed was the 'truth'. But he did not know whether he should bring up such a conversation, when the girl's mind was beginning to ever so slowly heal from that night six days ago...

And yet...

Despite his guilt and shame...

And the girl's inner torment and pain...

Vincent knew that he had to tell Aeris the truth...

There was simply no other choice...

Because even though he could not read the future...

Vincent still remembered the way that Sephiroth had looked upon Aeris in the reactor...

And he remembered Sephiroth's words to her...

And Vincent knew...

That if Sephiroth really meant what he promised in the reactor...

Then Vincent knew...

Without a doubt...

Sephiroth would return...

And that Sephiroth would find her...

And he would try to claim her...

Whether in life...or death...

...Aeris' fate was sealed...

And no lie or misconception of the truth, would ever change that very fact.

"- - - - - "

So with that realisation, the gunman began his uneasy confession of that night.

"Aeris..?" Vincent murmured in a soft lugubrious tone. "There is something I wish to tell you..."

The gunman stopped then, pausing for a just a single moment, so that he could eclipse his features gaze with pure apathy.

"I never knew the right time to say this... however..."

The gunman's claret tinted eyes turned back to face Aeris, staring at her small face, tainted with the bleary shadows of the night sky, and the dark, intelligent eyes which stared right back at him.

"I believe now is the time, that you knew the entire truth about me..."

Aeris' face blinked softly in the darkness, and other than the slight whistling of the wind through the Da Chou path, and the faint whine of the strange nocturne creatures that had finally awoken from their long day of rest, the air remained silent of all sound.

The Ex-Turk inhaled a slow and steady breath, as he desperately tried not to choke on the guilt and shame that was already growing inside of him. It was rapidly clawing up on his insides, coiling around his senses... it had the power to chill his already chilled blood, and steal away the last colours of emotion that had earlier filled his dark crimson gaze.

"Aeris... do you remember a mansion in Nibelheim...and the hidden secret inside the basement...?" the gunman asked quietly, as he watched a faint flicker of recognition glint inside the brunette's dark, green eyed gaze. "...a small locked room...enshrouded in darkness and death..?" Vincent whispered to himself, even though the brunette could hear every word.

Aeris gave no answer to him.

"Do you?" The gunman asked softly, and with that, the flower-girl, vaguely nodded.

The gunman closed his eyes, in an attempt to find the strength to continue his words. "Aeris...do you know what was hidden in that room? Do you know why... it was locked in the first place?"

The brunette shook her head slowly, however it was clear that she was mildly mystified by the gunman's question.

The Ex-Turk sighed, as he raised his clawed hand to his temples, as if he was trying to trap the darkness of the shadows beneath each of his long golden claws. Vincent knew that he could only explain the truth, if he started from the very beginning.

And so...with a final exhale of emotion, Vincent began to voice the secrets of his living nightmare to the cold night air.

"Thirty years ago... I worked within... the Shinra Manufacturing Department in Administrative Research, otherwise known as-- the Turks..." Vincent said softly, as he watched the brunette's shoulder's tense, slightly.

"I no longer have any affiliation with Shinra anymore..." he affirmed quietly.

Aeris nodded, however she didn't look any less comfortable.

The gunman stared at the unnerved brunette for a few silent moments, before continuing on.

"Regardless... I was a Turk, and I did what I had to do...to survive. Hn. I am sure you do not know the full extent of what it means to be a Turk...Hn...either way, I wouldn't wish for you to know something, which I find, is rather irrelevant at this point of time."

The gunman shook his head slightly, and continued on.

"I was once assigned to supervise a science project in Nibelheim...The Jenova project...and it was there that I once knew a woman...by the name of Lucrecia Crescent."

The gunman sighed, as he turned his head upwards, letting the long bangs of his black hair shade his crimson eyes from view.

"Lucrecia... Beautiful Lucrecia..." he whispered fondly, as Aeris observed how the gunman's face softened with sweet nostalgia.

"She worked within Shinra's Science Department, as an assistant to a man named Professor Gast. The same man who had founded the Jenova Project...and as a Turk, my only duty was to protect them both..."

0o-0o0-o0

__

'Protect...I didn't protect her...I failed her...'

0o-0o0-o0

The Ex-Turk felt his eyes cloud over with shame, but despite the agony of the memory, Vincent felt more words tumble from his mouth; words which he had never once spoken to another. Words which described an illicit love which could have never been.

"...I had never known anyone like her. She made me see a side of myself that I never knew. A side I had never once thought about. She made me realise the humanity in myself. She saw me for more than what I was...for more than a Turk...for more than an assassin... She believed that I could be more than a tool for Shinra. She made me believe that I could be so much more than a soulless killer..."

A glint of emotion which had earlier faded from the gunman's eyes, was now beginning to flare to life once more.

"And I did believe her..." The gunman breathed with an unclasped amount of passion. "And I adored her...And as time passed on... my respect for her grew...and before I knew it..."

Vincent closed his eyes, trying to conceal the emotions that he knew were dancing in his eyes. He pitched his voice lower, afraid that if he spoke any louder, that the mountaintops would echo the words of his innermost secrets to the entire planet.

"I knew I couldn't live my life without her..."

"I..."

The gunman paused.

__

'I needed her...'

'I wanted her...'

"I...I loved her. "

The Ex-Turk released an audible sigh of unconstrained shame, as his head dipped downwards to hide his entire face from view.

"And I knew I would have done anything to be so close to her...I would have_ left_ Shinra for her...I would have **_fought_** all of Shinra for her...I would have done anything for her..." he whispered to the winds. " ..._anything_..."

The gunman's eyes slowly opened, revealing crimson slates which were now oddly void of life and emotion.

"But..." Vincent said flatly, as he stargazed at the heaven's once more. "In the end...there was nothing I could do...Fate refused me to have her for my own. For you see, my beloved was already promised to another. To a scientist whose name is so foul, that I refuse to speak it on my lips."

Vincent clenched his palms to his sides, and his eyes hardened with inner loathing.

"My beautiful Lucrecia was broken by that man. He polluted her thoughts. He manipulated her dreams. He forced her away from everything she once loved... and all I could do was watch... as my beloved was brainwashed by the omnipotent power that her depraved husband had over her..."

The gunman bit his tongue so hard, that he could taste a crimson wetness oozing in his mouth.

"So in the end, Lucrecia's body was sacrificed for science...and my beloved died, dreaming of a child that she would never have the chance to hold in her arms."

__

'...and it was my fault...'

'...it was all my fault...'

The gunman breathed another breathless sigh of unrepentant regret.

"...and that is my **_sin_**. I could not stop her. I could not save my Lucrecia from him. From her husband... whose love for her...was lost the day he realised that his wife could grant him a child on her deathbed... and... when I found out the truth...I... went into a rage...I went in search of the man who killed my beloved...but.."

Vincent paused, as he raised his eyes to the ice white moon in the heavens.

"Fate believed that I did not deserve such a form of justice. I was shot down and killed before I could gain my vengeance...and the next time I woke up, I found myself looking like this..."

The gunman revealed the full length of his golden clawed arm to the silent girl beside him.

"Aeris...this is my penance...my punishment... for failing her... for not having the power to change things when I had the chance. I was locked away in the darkness by _'him_'. He imprisoned me inside a room of coffins, with nothing but my nightmares to keep me company... "

Vincent quickly withdrew his left arm away, hiding the demonic glint of golden metal beneath the many ripped layers of his dark crimson mantle.

"...I was imprisoned inside that room for thirty years, lying inside a coffin, in a state of dreamless death, wishing for the dark silence of eternity to consume my soul...if only to atone me for the sins.. "

The gunman had to pause once more, inhaling the cold crisp air inside his lungs. "However eternity did not last as long as I expected...for you see.. six days ago, I was awoken from my silent slumber by a voice... a voice of a young woman..."

A cold breeze sifted through the air after his quietly spoken revelation, and Vincent felt the chilling temperature coil through his veins.

"And it was six days ago that I heard his name... the name of Lucrecia's child, spoken by the lips of another.."

The Ex-Turk momentarily closed his eyes.

"..._Sephiroth_..."

The gunman was sure he heard a sharp intake of air from the brunette beside him. But other than that, the girl remained pale faced and motionless.

And so Vincent opened his eyes and continued on.

"Aeris...you were the one who woke me from that darkness. You were the one who found my key to the light...and I wanted to thank you..."

Aeris turned her head away, unable to meet the gunman's crimson tinted gaze.

"There was something else I wanted to tell you too..." Vincent continued softly. "That night in the reactor...when Sephiroth tried to kill you..."

The Ex-Turk could hear the girl's erratic heartbeat, pounding in his head, and the gunman clenched his teeth, trying to bite back another sorrowful sigh that wished to escape his lips. He only wished that there was an easier way of giving the truth to the poor brunette. But there wasn't. There simply wasn't any other way...

And so Vincent told Aeris the entire truth...in the simplest way he could.

"I saw it all..." He breathed softly, as he raised his head to the heavens.

"I saw it all..." He repeated to the cold and lifeless winds. "I was there... I heard his words...I saw what he did...and what he tried to do to you..."

"And it was I..."

The gunman closed his eyes with unrepentant shame.

"I was the one who_ shot_ him...I was the one who made him _bleed_..."

The silence was stifling. It was if time had stopped for one single moment, merging truth and fear into one. The crimson cloaked gunman knew that the words he had spoken, were full of the most unrepentant sin. But Vincent knew, he had said, what had needed to be said, and if Aeris ended up hating him for what he did, so be it. If she thought him to be a cold hearted villain, then that would be the role that he would forever play for her.

"- - - - - -"

However, when Vincent next opened his eyes, to glance at the silent girl beside her...

What Vincent saw...

Rather surprised him...

The gunman knew that he had once mastered at the art of reading the expressions of others. However at this very moment, the Ex-Turk could not distinguish a single emotion of the brunette's passive face. A splash of sadness filled the brunette's wavering gaze, but other than that, Aeris' face remained totally blank of any other visible emotion. She was reacting in a way that he did not expect. Aeris was looking at him, as if she was looking through him, as if she had not heard a single word. As if her mind was denying the truth of what he had said, and what she believed in.

Vincent could not bear to stare at those hollow eyes...eyes which he knew were so like his own... and so he turned his gaze away to the shadows around him.

" - - - - - "

The gunman sighed for what seemed the thousandth time. It seemed no matter what the gunman did...or what he tried, he could never do anything right. If the problem could be easily solved with a gun or a fatal glare, then he could easily solve it. However, when it was a problem, which dealt with the matters of the heart...Vincent knew... without a doubt.. that he would always fail.

'Lucrecia...' The gunman whispered in his mind, as he looked to the blackened heavens for an answer.

__

"Thank you..."

Vincent could not think of a time when he had truly comforted another. His job at Shinra... only helped him to hide his true emotions even from himself. Vincent had learnt that a Turk was not meant to feel any form of emotion. They were not meant to have friends...nor were they meant to have a wife or partner. They were meant to simply do their job...no questions asked. Death meant nothing to them. Murder meant nothing to them...Complete the mission and stay alive...That was the life of a Turk...the life of an assassin... The life of a...

The Ex-Turk's melancholy thoughts were quickly stolen away, when he felt a faint tug on his arm. Vincent did not react at first, simply assuming it was the wind rustling at his mantle. However, when he felt another pull, the gunman cautiously turned his gaze to the left, to stare into bright green eyes, painted with shades of gentle emotion.

"Vincent?"

The gunman paused, as his thoughts crashed to a sudden halt. His claret tinted gaze snapped to the side, and locked right onto the assumingly 'silent brunette'!

The gunman blinked, not even daring to wonder what he had heard to be real. 'It must have been my imagination', he thought to himself. _'The words stolen from a memory that has long since passed... '_

"...Thank you.."

Now seeing the girl's lips move in sync with the words in the air; it caused the gunman's eyes to stretch open to surprise.

Aeris had actually spoken!

Vincent had expected the brunette to cry. He expected her scream, or perhaps try to hit him, since it was the least that he deserved after everything that he had said and done...

However the girl's first words that she had spoken, were to thank him!

Vincent did not know what to say.

"Thank you..." The brunette repeated again, in a voice which was so whispery light and gentle. At that moment, Vincent thought he was listening to an angel speak. The sounds of the wind and the earth were blown from his senses, and all he could hear was her.

"...for what?" The gunman asked uneasily, feeling uncharacteristically at loss with himself.

The brunette's lips twitched softly, into the barest hints of a smile.

"For telling me the truth," Aeris responded quietly, before turning her gaze back at the sky, as if searching the cosmos for the answers that were hidden inside their sparkling orbs of silver dust.

The gunman did not know how to reply to the brunette's words, and so remained silent, letting the faint whistles of the wind answer for him.

"So I guess Sephiroth got what he always wanted..." Aeris said after a while. "He found his Promised Land..."

The gunman felt his face twitch, but other than that, he did not respond.

"And he has finally reunited with his Mother..." Aeris continued, as she clenched her white hands in prayer. "... and now he is finally happy.." The brunette's voice broke off then, unable to say anymore. A weak, watery smile settled on her lips; however even in the darkness, the gunman could see the faint sparkle of tears, glistening at the corners of the brunette's now closed eyelids.

The gunman's dark serious eyes scrutinised the girl, waiting for her to continue.

"Aeris...?" Vincent asked quietly.

The brunette slowly opened her eyes and turned her head, to gaze at the crimson cloaked companion.

"Do you remember what Sephiroth said to you in the reactor...?" Vincent asked slowly

Aeris shook her head softly, before pausing in thought. "I... I remember him talking about a cleansing, and a healing..." She began slowly, as her voice began to get quieter and quieter after each and every word. "But I... I did not realise that his methods of cleaning...w-was through the act of... killing...?"

The brunette paused for a moment, trying to steady her voice to no avail.

"Sephiroth...he...he told me how he was going to kill every human on his planet."

The brunette visibly swallowed down the tears.

"...And that it was the Cetra way, and that he wanted me to stand alongside him as he did so."

The brunette wiped her reddened eyes. "But I told him no. I told him how I c-couldn't live that way. That I couldn't go through with something so evil...b-but he...he... all he replied was how it was our Cetra destiny...and that the reason I did not understand was.. b-because I was a...h-half Cetra...a hybrid..."

The gunman watched silently, as the girl began to break down before his very eyes.

"He said he wanted to change me...that he was going to make me perfect...and that he would do this by taking me to his mother...But the only way I could meet his mother was through death!"

The brunette's eyes flashed with wet and tearful emotions.

"And he seemed so happy about it. As if it didn't matter if I had to die! He just didn't care at all how I felt...He didn't care how I didn't want to die.." She cried loudly. "And he sounded so insane...so out of his mind...And I was so frightened...so very frightened..."

And with that, the girl wept.

"It's alright...you're safe now," Vincent whispered gently, as he placed his right gloved hand on the girl's bare shoulder. But the gunman's gentle reassurances went unheard, as Aeris began to curl her body into itself.

"But I...I still feel him...I still remember his words...I can't forget him. I see him in my dreams," Aeris whimpered, in a voice clotted with emotion.

The brunette's eyes darkened, and her once clenched palms, parted so that she could wrap her arms around her torso.

"And he is always laughing and taunting me. He says how he can give me everything I want...and all I need to do is find him...to find him at the Reunion..."

The brunette's pupils were flittering from side to side. Her pale fingernails were clenching and flexing across the skin of her arms.

It didn't take long for the faint stench of copper crimson to fill the cold night air.

"Stop it," the gunman said quietly, as he pulled the girl's hands away from her arms, trying to prevent her from hurting herself even more.

"But I can't. I can't." Aeris whispered brokenly, as she shuddered in the gunman's arms. "He is always there...he is waiting for me...he is going to find me...and he'll kill me..."

The gunman felt the brunette's body slacken its hold in his arms.

"But you know what...?" Aeris whispered softly, right beside her companion's ear. "I don't think I'll stop him the next time...for you see... I actually want him to take me..."

The gunman's face remained expressionless, however his grip tightened around the girl's pale arms.

"I don't want to be alone anymore... with nothing but my memories..." Aeris continued on. "...these last few days made me realise that...and I...I don't think I could live the rest of my life like this...I barely managed to find the pieces of my heart when Zack left me...I tried to deny it at first...but I..."

"You loved Sephiroth," Vincent said softly, causing the brunette to tremble once more.

"...Yes..." Aeris replied in a cracked whisper. "I did...no...I still do..."

And then in an instant, the brunette shot out of the gunman's arms, and Vincent barely had time to react as he watched Aeris dash along the Da Chou path.

And then his dark crimson gaze then followed the path to the girl's destination...

And the gunman's eyes widened in alarm.

__

'Is she trying to commit suicide?'

Vincent leapt upwards and began sailing towards Aeris, ready to leap from the Da Chou mountains to catch her if she were to fall.

But then the brunette stopped running.

And Vincent watched as Aeris began to slowly walk across the large stone carving of the hand of a Great Wutain God.

0o-0o0-o0

__

In the dull shadows of twilight, the brunette rose her head, searching for a colour...a light that would break away the black void that had settled inside her heart.

__

And that was when she saw it.

A faint shaft of light peaking down from between the heavens.

A flicker of hope within the darkness.

Zombified and shaken, the brunette arm moved towards the silvery shaft of light peaking from between the dark night sky. A single slit of light, softening the darkness of her heart into blurry shadows.

Her green eyes wavered as she stared at the faint radiance; her hands raising upwards to touch the silver shade inside the darkness.

'Like his silver hair...'

Her hands faltered, and the tears from before began anew.

0o-0o0-o0

"If you hear me now Sephiroth! Please Listen to my prayer! Come and take me away right now!" Aeris cried out to the night sky, as she cast both of her arms out to the darkness. "Please! I will fulfil your promise! I will go to see your Mother! I'll do anything!"

"Please.." Aeris begged weakly. "I can't deal with this misery any longer..." she wept as she fell to her knees, almost dangerously close to the edge.

Vincent was instantly at her side. "Sssshh." he murmured, whilst rubbing her back gently.

"...I don't want to be **_alone_** any more..." The brunette sobbed, as she leaned against the dark gunman. "I can't take it anymore..."

"But you are not alone," Vincent replied just as softly. "Have you forgotten about Cloud and the others...?"

The brunette averted her eyes, and merely continued to cry.

The gunman sighed, and said nothing.

And as the minutes ticked on, Vincent began to carefully draw the brunette away from the edge of the Da Chou and back towards the mountain path. When he was sure the girl was away from harm's way, the gunman pulled his arms away from her, however Vincent stayed right beside her, just to make sure that if Aeris were to run away, he could easily pull her back to his side.

And as the minutes passed...the girl's tears eventually began to lessen...and the sound of her crying turned to faint sniffles.

"Vincent...?" Aeris asked after a moment, as she peeled her face from her arms, revealing her wet tear streaked face to the gunman's narrowed eyed gaze.

"Do you think I'm a bad person...?" Aeris whispered quietly.

The gunman blinked slowly in confusion.

"Why do you ask this of me?" Vincent asked cautiously as he continued to kneel beside the saddened girl.

The brunette drew her knees further to her chest, whilst bowing her chin on top of them. "I am in love with someone who wanted to kill the rest of mankind, and I still want to be with him. Doesn't that make me a bad person?" Aeris breathed softly, as her tear-filled eyes stared down at her bare feet resting against the harsh cracked ground.

The gunman paused to contemplate the girl's words.

"...I wouldn't say you are bad..." The gunman eventually replied.

"But I love a murderer!" Aeris screeched insanely, as her large green eyes darted upwards to stare at the gunman in wild confusion.

"- - - - - -" The gunman could not respond.

"There is something wrong with me? There must be something wrong with me if I can love someone who wishes to do so much evil!" Aeris said to herself, as she stared down at her arms, and the new faint cuts which were faintly dribbling down her skin.

"You cannot choose who you love..." The gunman sighed to the air, as he tilted his head to the side. "Nor can you justify how or why we love. Love is...an instinct which helps to direct us down a path to find the goodness in ourselves...For you to admit that you love someone so unconditionally, despite all of their sins... can only prove how much goodness is in your heart, since you are willing to fight for a love which most people would surely deny."

The gunman watched as the brunette digested his words, and noticed a faint flicker of hope flitter within the brunette's dark green depths.

"I guess that makes a bit of sense," the brunette admitted softly, as she closed a hand over her quivering heart. "...and when you put it that way, I kinda feel a little better about myself..."

But then the light which was once present in the brunette's eyes was dowsed by her next statement.

"But I've been thinking over the past few days... about that night...and why Sephiroth tried to....to...forcefully take me to his Promised Land.."

The brunette sighed and began to unconsciously rub her fingers across the brand on her hand.

"Vincent...Do you think Sephiroth was trying to express the strength of his love for me, by trying to kill me?"

"I don't know..." Vincent replied honestly.

The brunette felt her eyes prick at the gunman's answer. "But.. if what I said is true...if Sephiroth's actions were intentionally done for love... and not for evil... then I don't think I could ever hate him."

The brunette sighed again.

"I keep on remembering the way Sephiroth kept on saying how he wanted to 'cleanse' the world...an evil person wouldn't care about such things like healing a planet? Would they Vincent?"

The gunman blinked in response.

"And I...I think...no...I know, that Sephiroth believed that he was doing what he thought was right for the future of this planet...He wanted to stop Shinra. He wanted to turn this world into a Promised Land...And I think...in a twisted way, Sephiroth was trying to show how much he cared for this planet. An evil person wouldn't care about the future of this planet...would they Vincent..?"

"- - - - - "

"And I guess it all goes back to why Sephiroth was fighting in the first place," Aeris said softly. "Sephiroth was fighting because he wanted to avenge his people. However, even though Sephiroth is...was a _Pure Cetra_...I still don't know if I can ever forgive him and he..."

"Sephiroth is not a _Pure Cetra_." Vincent interrupted quietly.

"?" The brunette paused in mid surprise, as the gunman slowly repeated his words.

"But that's not possible." Aeris frowned. "He told me himself...many times in fact... He said he was a Pure Cetra...and that he was on a mission to cleanse the planet and-"

"What Sephiroth's thinks is wrong." The gunman finished in a deadpan tone. "Sephiroth's biological mother was a human. His father was human too. The only part of Sephiroth that was not human were the genes that his father injected inside his mother's womb before she died."

"I remember Sephiroth telling me that but he..." Aeris began.

"-glossed over the truth," Vincent interrupted sternly. "Sephiroth wishes to believe in what he has been denied. He seeks a way of proving his own worth... by manipulating a select memory of his past and using it as a tool for revenge.."

The gunman sighed wearily, as he let his mind dreg up memories of the past that he would have rather forgotten.

"I remember seeing Sephiroth as a baby. I still cannot believe how much time has passed. How much innocence has been lost..."

"You saw Sephiroth as a baby!"

The brunette's startled cry awoke the Ex-Turk from his darkening memories.

"But how would that be possible!" Aeris exclaimed loudly. "...you would have to be at least fifty something and you look far too young to be..."

The brunette fell silent, as she remembered the note in the mansion...being dated thirty years in the past...and the humourless look that the gunman was sending her right now...

"Fifty six to be precise," the gunman said, watching the brunette's face vault even further.

"But..." Aeris protested weakly. "How..?"

Vincent did not bother to respond.

The brunette's brows furrowed even further. "And what about that other woman you mentioned...Lucrecia being Sephiroth's mother?"

The gunman's eyes softened marginally after hearing the name of his beloved. "What about Lucrecia?"

"I still don't understand! Sephiroth told me that his mother was called Jenova, and that he is a Cetra! He never mentioned a Lucrecia to me! Why would Sephiroth lie and say that he is a pure Cetra if he had a human mother, and a human father?"

"What is the truth... and what Sephiroth believes, are two very different things..." The gunman replied cryptically.

"So...are you trying to say..." Aeris began slowly..." That Sephiroth was never a pure Cetra...?" She gasped brokenly, as she raised a trembling hand to her mouth

"And that...Sephiroth's dreams were all lies..." Aeris breathed as realisation began to set within her pale features. "...and died all for a lie..."

Taking this whole theory into account, Aeris had to fight back the new tears which were threatening to pour down her face.

"So doesn't that mean Sephiroth died for nothing then? His dream was for nothing then?"

The brunette threw her hands to her mouth, trying not to hyperventilate.

__

'And if Sephiroth wasn't a true Cetra... wouldn't that mean...that he'd never be able to enter the Promised Land...?'

The tears were now vastly flowing at that sudden realisation. But this time Aeris wasn't crying for herself. This time, Aeris was crying for him. She was crying for her silver haired swordsman.

"So his need to avenge his ancestors was entirely pointless!"

The girl's shoulders were quaking with the truth that was singing through her mind.

__

"Because he isn't a proper Cetra...?"

"And he died..."

"All because he never knew the truth of his birth...?"

The girl's heartbeat was like a ticking bomb, ready to explode from her chest.

__

'So if he found out that he wasn't a full Cetra before..."

'Then this would have never happened.'

'He would have never tried to kill me...'

'And he would have never died..'

The brunette brought her fingers to her cranium.

"But now it's too late..." Aeris whispered to herself as she rocked back and forth on her heels. "In the end, its too late to change anything. Regardless if Sephiroth was a true Cetra or not. Sephiroth's soul has left these plains...now and forever to be condemned as nothing more than a lifeless memory..."

"Aeris...do you remember when Sephiroth spoke of a '_Sanctuary_'?" Vincent asked quietly.

"A _Sanctuary_?" The brunette repeated weakly, as her mind tried to dreg up the memory, while trying to rub at her tearstained eyes. "...I think I remember. A place of resting?"

And then the girl's rocking stopped instantly, as her mind delved inside a memory of the past.

0o-0o0-o0

**__**

"..Mother can rescue you..

from the arms of death..."

**__**

"She will take you..

into a part of the planet..

To her 'Sanctuary'..."

**__**

" In there, she can protect you...

...as she protects me.."

**__**

"...My real body has been locked away...

within the 'Sanctuary'...

for the last five years.."

**__**

"It is currently being cleansed...

of all its human impurities...

awaiting for my return..."

0o-0o0-o0

The brunette's face froze, as her mind whirled and spun, unable to lock onto a single precious thought; and then her eyes fell onto her crimson cloaked companion seated at her side.

"Are you saying that Sephiroth really could be alive?" Aeris nearly squeaked, as her eyes stretched open to the size of dinner plates.

The gunman's dark serious eyes stared back at her, with no emotion. "...there is a chance he is..."

It was a good thing that the brunette was already kneeling on the floor, for if she was standing, her legs would have collapsed beneath her.

"...oh... oh dear God..." Aeris breathed, as she wrapped her arms around herself, as she attempted to control the flittering in her heart. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the simple act of breathing.

0o-0o0-o0

__

'So that means...'

__

'It may not be too late...'

'...to change everything...'

'And if Sephiroth is truly alive...'

'...and if I tell him the truth...'

'...that he is not a full Cetra...'

'

..then he will no longer have a reason to fight anymore!'

__

'...and... then all this madness can truly end.'

__

'And then I won't have to be alone anymore...'

__

'...and we will be together...like we **promised**..'

0o-0o0-o0

"Like we promised," Aeris repeated on her lips, as her eyes slowly opened, revealing orbs which glistened with a brightness that almost rivalled the very stars above. The gunman watched as Aeris rose to her feet from the floor, and then stared in visible bemusement as the brunette leaned down to his left side.

Vincent froze as he felt a soft brush of Aphrodite's lips caress his face.

"You have given me a new hope.." Aeris said softly as she drew her mouth from the gunman's left cheek. "And for that I thank you."

The gunman could not think of anything to respond. Vincent knew he must have looked like a first class idiot, with the way his jaw had slackened and his eyes had widened. However the gunman managed to quickly regain his composure as he saw the brunette begin to walk away from him.

"Where are you going?" Vincent asked in visible confusion, as he bolted to his feet..

The brunette turned her profile to the side, and beamed softly at the gunman with genuine delight.

"Back to the others of course. I'm sure they are really worried about us," Aeris replied happily as she gestured for her crimson cloaked companion to come closer. "Would you like to walk back with me Vincent?"

The gunman could not say no, even if he wanted to, for his golden booted feet had already moved before his mind had even decided on an answer.

Aeris grinned cheekily and clutched at a corner of her companion's crimson mantle, as they began their long and slow descent through the Da Chou mountains, unaware of the dark shadow that lurked in the darkness behind them.

Vincent and Aeris returned swiftly back to the Wutai town, and while neither companion had spoken to the other since they left the Da Chou mountain tops, it was clear that the Aeris nor Vincent were not bothered by the mutual silence that had settled between them.

However, as the Wutai Inn came into sight, Aeris turned her head to gaze at her companion.

"Do you think the others will still be awake?" Aeris asked softly as the pair strode through the main sliding doors of the small pagoda. Even though it was clearly past midnight, the Inn still had a few lit candles clustered here and there, illuminating the walls with just enough light so that the pair could clearly move around in the darkness without a fearing that they would walk into a wall, or trip over the nearest table.

"It is late," was the gunman's eventual reply as his dark narrowed eyes fixed themselves on the Inn keeper who was dozing off in the corner of the room.

The brunette nodded, and watched as Vincent walked across the woven tatami mats in his large golden boots. Aeris wondered if it would have been wise to tell her companion about the 'no shoes' rule, but then dismissed the thought entirely when Vincent quickly gestured her to follow him through another paper screen door.

Stepping through the next portal, Aeris obediently followed the gunman down another corridor that seemed only vaguely familiar.

'Probably because I was too delirious from the heat,' the brunette mused to herself, as her eyes squinted in the darkness at a rather ornate stone dragon, which spewed a fountain of sparkling gold water from its wide, demon fanged mouth. It seemed that the brunette had taken too much attention in staring at the dragon fountain, for before she knew it, a hand had gently grabbed her wrist and was now pulling her towards the sleeping quarters of the Inn.

"You will need to bind your arms again." Vincent spoke to her, as he directed her around another corner and through another paper door.

"I know," Aeris sighed, trying to fight the temptation to scratch the away the itch which she could feel on her arms. "Cloud gave me his cure materia to borrow. It should still be in my room."

"Hn," the gunman grunted in response as he opened another set of doors. Aeris was glad that Vincent knew where he was going because the brunette had no idea where they were. It was only by fluke that the brunette managed to find her way out of the Inn by herself the first time, and Aeris knew, that if Vincent wasn't with her, she would surely walked into the wrong room and invaded someone's privacy.

The brunette felt her entire body come to a stop when the gunman paused in front of another sliding door, and Aeris watched as the gunman tilted his head to the side, as if he was trying to sense what was lying beyond the portal.

"Cloud is still awake," Vincent stated quietly as his crimson tinted eyes narrowed, and his ears twitched in the air. "But the others are all asleep."

"Oh," the brunette replied quietly, as Vincent opened the last pair of paper doors and drew her inside their rental room.

Unlike the walls and halls they had passed before, this room was pitch black, and if Aeris concentrated enough, she could hear the faint sounds of snoring through the paper thin walls to the next room.

But then Aeris turned her gaze to the far left of the room, and the brunette felt her heart catch in her throat, as a pair of blazing mako eyes gleamed at her from within the darkness.

"Vincent!"

The voice was unmistakeably Cloud's, and Aeris felt herself stumble backwards in surprise, as a pair of glowing blue eyes began to hover towards her.

"Is Aeris with you?"

The gunman grunted softly in affirmative at her side.

And then Aeris felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. Hands which Aeris knew did not belong to a certain Ex-Turk.

"Aeris? Are you alright?" Cloud questioned right in front of her. The blond then turned his head towards the crimson cloaked gunman, easily spotting him in the darkness due to his mako enhanced vision. "Where did you find her? She isn't hurt?"

"I'm fine Cloud," Aeris said softly, trying to turn her head away from the mako glow.

Even though Aeris could not see anything within the darkness, the brunette heard an loud inhale of shock, and she could almost imagine the surprised look which was plastered across the blond's now paled features.

"Aeris! You can speak?" The blond gasped in a soft tone, as he tightened his grip on the girl's shoulders.

The brunette nodded, trying to refrain from looking into the blond's glowing mako orbs.

Since Aeris was not giving a verbal response, the blond turned towards the gunman for answers.

"Vincent how did this happen?..."

"Cloud. Why don't we continue this conversation tomorrow?" Vincent stated quietly to the blond as he took in the brunette's weary disposition. "I am sure Aeris needs her rest."

The leader of Avalanche seemed reluctant to agree, but after taking another look at the fragile flower-girl, the blond consented.

"Alright.." Cloud sighed in agreement, however he made no move to take his hands off the brunette's shoulders. "Aeris are you sure you are alright?" Cloud asked again, visibly concerned and confused when he noticed how Aeris seemed to be trembling beneath his fingers.

"I-I'm fine Cloud. Just a little tired," Aeris said quietly as kept her gaze down to the floor refusing to look upwards.

"Alright. I'll take you to your room then."

Aeris felt her leader remove one hand from her shoulder, while the other slid down to gently grasp her arm, before guiding her through the pitch black room.

"Aeris, you have a choice, you can either sleep in the same room as Tifa, or in the other spare room that you slept in earlier."

"I don't really mind," Aeris replied quietly. "I'd be happy with the floor."

"I wouldn't make you sleep on the floor," Cloud replied with a soft chuckle. "But seriously, which room would you rather sleep in?"

The brunette pondered for a moment. "Well I wouldn't want to wake up Tifa if she's sleeping. So probably the other room."

Then suddenly, the room was full of light, and both Aeris and Cloud winced and blinked as they adjusted their eyes to the sudden brightness.

"I thought it would be easier to walk in the light, rather than to stumble through the darkness..." The gunman stated cryptically as he moved his hand from the light switch, before turning and exiting the room, leaving both Aeris and Cloud staring at him in obvious befuddlement.

After the shock of the gunman's hasty exit faded away, Cloud turned back to Aeris; taking in the look of her puffy red eyes. It was clear that she had been crying. However a voice in the back of the blond's head told him that it wouldn't be wise to ask about it for now.

"So you want to sleep in the spare room?" The blond asked quietly.

The brunette feebly nodded.

"Alright. It's through that paper door to the right. The one on the nearest left is where Tifa is sleeping, and the one that is on the far left is where Barret, Red and I are sleeping."

Aeris nodded in understanding before frowning in mild confusion. "But what about Vincent?"

The blond knew what she was asking about. "He said that he did not need a room," Cloud replied calmly

"Oh..." the brunette muttered quietly, unable to say anything else as she watched as Cloud opened a shoji door to the empty room.

"Thanks Cloud." Aeris said softly, as the blond gestured her inside, and followed her from behind.

"It's quite cold in here," Cloud stated absently, as he rubbed at his bare arms..

"It's because the window is open," Aeris replied with mild amusement as she walked towards the open portal and stared out at the small sakura garden, which was full of tiny pink blossoms littering all across the ground.

"Um yeah.." the blond replied as he mildly scratched the back of his head. "Well...if you need anything, I'll be in the room-,"

"The one on the far left," Aeris finished for him with a slight grin. "I know."

The blond nodded, and moved his hand back to his side. "Alright...Well I guess I should let you rest now."

Aeris nodded, however the blond didn't move from his spot.

The blond seemed almost reluctant to leave the room. It was as if he was afraid that Aeris was going to disappear the moment he turned his back.

"Okay...I'll be going now.." Cloud continued as he shuffled his bare feet backwards, inching further towards the door. "And we'll talk tomorrow?"

The brunette nodded. "Yeah..."

"Yeah...yeah..." The blond repeated to himself as his hand grasped the shoji screen, just once step away from leaving.

And then he stopped.

"Aeris?" the blond asked softly

The brunette turned her head from the garden. "Hn?"

"...I'm glad that you can speak again." Cloud stated softly, and Aeris knew that the blond had said it from his heart..

The brunette clenched her fingers over her heart. "Me too..." she replied just as softly.

"So...um... night..." The blond said as he slightly bowed his head softly.

"Yeah...night." Aeris said quietly as her eyes watched her leader leave her room, and close the screen right behind him. It was only when she heard the footsteps move past his room, that Aeris felt like she could breathe again. That realisation in itself caused the brunette to feel a little guilty. It wasn't that she didn't like Cloud. It was just that Cloud managed to make her feel uncomfortable, and she could not truly understand why. Either way, Aeris did not want to really think about it for now.

Aeris yawned softly and rubbed at her eyes. She felt so tired and all she wanted to do was sleep her problems away.

And that is exactly what Aeris did.

Aeris quite literally dropped onto the futon, sinking into its welcome softness. She shuffled across the soft comforter and settled her head down to sleep, uncaring that she had not changed into the pale pink yukata that was folded beneath her pillow..

...or how she had left the window of her room fully **_open_**.

__

And then one minute passed...

__

And then two...

Followed by three, four and five...

And as the sixth minute ticked away to oblivion, a faint shuffle broke the silence of the night, followed by a soft grunt as leather boots touched the wooden floor. Silent footsteps padded across the dark room where a certain flower girl was resting.

Narrowed eyes the shade of silvery mint glimmered in the pitch darkness, searching each wall and each cupboard for any sign of danger...

And then the stranger's sharp nocturnal vision dipped downwards to the ground...

Or more specifically a futon where a dark sleeping beauty slept.

And the lips of the stranger hooked upwards into the most sinister of smiles.

Then in an instant, he swept the brunette's unconscious body upwards into his arms; and leapt straight out of the window, and into the night.

The stranger did not stop to rest even once.

The stranger leapt and ran...

And no one saw him...

He was a moving smudge of darkness, sprinting beneath the twilight sky.

The dark cloaked figure paused behind a sakura tree for just one moment, as he repositioned the precious female in his arms before leaping over the Wutai Wall... speeding away from the tourist town as fast as his legs could take him...

...which was pretty fast indeed.

It was only when the faint bleeding orange of colour began to rise above the Western horizon, did the dark cloaked stranger stop, not even a single puff out of breath. He had nearly reached the other side of the Wutai islands, and was now standing beneath an alcove that was just across from a long white sandy beach.

Safely planting the sleeping woman to the ground, the dark cloaked stranger left the alcove and jogged around the side of the large cliff, looking for a certain large feathered mode of transport that he had tied to a rock near the shore. But to the stranger's immense surprise, the bird he was searching for was nowhere to be seen.

"Now where did that fat, dumb duck thing run off too?" The stranger cursed, as his eyes panned from the left to the right for his missing chocobo.

And then his aqua tinted eyed flittered down at the thick brown rope that was lying before his feet. The dark stranger gracefully bent down and plucked the rope from the wet sand, before raising the item to his full vision to inspect it intently.

__

'...It looks like it was bitten off...'

The green eyed stranger trailed his leather-gloved fingers through his fair hair. "This is just...perfect!" He exclaimed with undeniable sarcasm. "Bloody perfect!" he sighed to himself as he rubbed his temples and used his thumb and finger to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Now how am I going to get across the sea with no form of transportation?" The stranger groaned to himself, irritated and aggravated with himself for never considering such a problem to occur so early on in his mission.

"Grrrr," he growled, as he tossed the remaining piece of rope out to the sea, feeling unsatisfied even when the rope was absorbed by the sea's black and unwelcome depths.

"What should I do now?" The fair haired stranger sighed, looking out to the sea, glaring at the fresh new colours on the horizon as if it were to blame why his chocobo had ran away.

But the stranger did not have to ponder for long, for no sooner than he had voiced his question out to the night, a sudden loud cacophony of ringing began to vibrate from the left pocket of his leather trousers.

The stranger put his hand inside his pocket and withdrew a small mobile. He flicked the lid open and brought the phone to his ear.

The stranger did not wait for the other to respond on the other side of the line.

"Yeah, I've done it brother. I've got her."

His silver tinted eyebrows knitted together in a stern frown, as he tapped one foot against the soggy sandy ground, waiting earnestly for the caller to respond.

"I told you I was the right person to do it!"

"Of course it's her. Who do you think I am? Loz? " The stranger laughed loudly, throwing his other arm out to the air with visible mirth.

"Yeah. I know. I was shocked too.."

" And she fitted the description perfectly."

"Heh. Yeah...You what?"

"Hn. Yeah..."

The stranger began to stroll across the beach, back towards the alcove where he had left her.

"So I guess I'll be on my way back to you guys."

The stranger's lips twitched upwards.

"Yeah I know he's gonna be pleased. No, he's gonna be ecstatic!"

"Do you think he'll award me?"

The smile on his lips morphed to a stern frown.

"You're just jealous...because I was the first to meet her."

The frown flipped back to an easy grin.

"..liar."

"So...aren't you gonna ask me what she looks like?"

The stranger rolled his eyes in amusement.

"...don't pretend you don't care." He answered with a chuckle. "Well I'm going to tell you anyway...She's beautiful. She is everything like I imagined her to be brother. Her hair. Her face. Everything."

The stranger's eyes glistened with a predatory sheen of delight. "Yeah...She's absolutely perfect." he continued on, as he re-entered the alcove, and moved right towards the sleeping girl's side.

The stranger seated himself down beside her, fascinated with the way the brunette's chest rose and fell after each and every breath.

"And she's so soft and smooth..." the stranger breathed, as he let his gloved finger slide itself across the girl's cheek. His aqua toned eyes fixed themselves on the bottom lip of Aeris' closed mouth, and the stranger couldn't help but glide the same digit across the brunettes moist pink lips; revelling in the surprise when Aeris unconsciously revealed her pretty rows of pearly white teeth to the stranger's avid gaze.

The green eyed stranger blinked in confusion as the caller on the other side of his mobile asked him a question. "Huh? What? Oh yeah. I thought I told you that I'm on the outskirts of Wutai. Trying to find that damn chocobo I left here on the field."

The stranger sighed wearily.

"Yeah I know...it probably was eaten or something. Stupid oversized duck. I'll go and try look for it in a bit. It can't have gotten too far...and if worse comes to worst, I could always go back to that little backwards village and steal some other form of transport."

The stranger nodded. "Yeah...I agree. Anyway. Let's end this. I'll call you later Yazoo."

"...Yeah...Bye."

And with a playful click of his mobile phone, the stranger finished his conversation.

He leaned over Aeris and stared at the brunette's body with fond admiration.

"Everything is going to be alright..." The stranger whispered fondly as his gloved fingers brushed away a few bangs from the brunette's forehead.

"...You're safe now-"

The stranger leaned his head forwards and brushed his lips across the brunette's cold brow.

"_-Mother..."_

****

Author's Notes.

****

Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Now who is surprised with THAT Cliff-hanger! LMAO. Yup. Kadaj is a very interesting character to write about. I guess a lot of you guys are feeling either very confused...very disturbed...or if you are like me...you are pretty amused and have already predicted what will happen in the rest of this story. lol. Yeah. I have had this idea in my head...for so long. I know I have said this before, but when I first thought of this story last year, I was gonna do a Riku-Son, Aeris-Mother thing, but the more I thought about AC (this is b4 Sept), I kept on thinking about Kadaj and how he would be an equally as good choice as Riku, since they both have the same Sephy look going on... However, when I watched the FF7AC film and saw that certain scene at the end...when Kadaj calls out to Aeris as Mother (because he believes her to be Jenova. lol)... that scene pretty much jolted my thoughts...and shocked me to think 'Holy S+t! If that isn't a sign that my next fic should have Kaddy in it...then nothing is!" LOL

Ahem...

So what do you guys think?I warned you that the entrance of Kadaj (and pretty much any chappie featuring Kadaj) will take longer to write than any of my previous chappies. But I hope you guys enjoyed it. I thought the Kadaj section was quite refreshing and fun to write about all morbid and melancholy thinking of Aeris and Vinnie.

Btw. Don't forget to review if you want to force me to update faster. Really! The more reviews I get, the more likely I will try to force myself to update ASAP. Lol.

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

P.S

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me by email. Just click on my pen-name at the top of the page.


	7. I am not your Mother!

****

To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story

6281 words

21 pages

Chapter 7 I am not your Mother!

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol

Author's Notes

Whoa. The last chapter had a pretty nice reception. Hmm...I wonder why...? Could it be due to a certain SH bishie? lol. Yeah...I think...no...I know that Kadaj will definitely change the mood of this fic, now that he has finally entered the scene. The last few chappies of TLAA2 have been far too depressing, even for my taste. (I blame you Vincent. lol) So yeah...I'm really glad that I have reached this pivotal point of my story. So Kadaj has kidnapped Aeris... (chuckles)...I bet you guys are dying to know what will happen...especially when Aeris wakes up to see the face of her attacker. lol.

****

Hn...As for my musical muse today. It's kinda varied. At the moment, I'm listening to Yoko Kanno's Rakuen from Wolf's Rain...which kinda doesn't fit with the mood that I wish to create for this chapter. I guess I want to listen to something unusual...something mysterious...something that contains a little humour or excitement in its tone without being too overdramatic with its emotion or imagery. lol. Hn...I guess I'll have to go through my CDs again. lol... Hn... Maybe I'll check my Spirited Away soundtrack, since Haku's dragon theme seems very Kadajified in my opinion...or if I feel really lazy, I'll just slap in one of my Linkin Park songs, or maybe one of my infamous Evanescence cds. lol. Hn...that really sounds like a good idea. lol.

Oh!

And as for Kadaj's character portrayal, I have already had a few emails and one review regarding his somewhat OOC nature. Heh...well... in my opinion, I intend to capture a part of Kadaj that few writers ever dare try to write about. The stories that I have read about Kadaj, always seem to focus on his 'serious' side, or his questionable 'psychotic side'...or when it is neither or these characterisations.. Kadaj normally ends up becoming a parody of himself, whether it is through one of those typical funny flick fanfics...or the rapidly growing 'Brother redemption' ones featuring himself and Cloud.

And as for the Yuffie and Kaddy ones..

-/cough-/

I won't go there for now...lol. I've never read one before, but I can almost understand why a few author's have turned them into a cute pairing due to their age...similar cheeky mannerisms and such but ah...

-cough-cough-

Lets get back to Kadaj... and Kadaj alone.

I bet a lot of you guys will agree with me that Kadaj does have a serious approach to life, and while not like Yazoo, there is an obvious callousness about him. Well... I'm going to ask you guys this question... How would Kadaj react to his 'mother' if he truly met her? Of course in AC, we only got to see a small snippet of emotion of how Kadaj reacts and feels...I can't imagine Kadaj acting so serious and cruelly arrogant around her. Nor could I imagine him being passively submissive. If anything, I think the knowledge that he had 'found her', would therefore bring out a rather childlike excitement from inside of him. I always believed Kadaj possessed a child's passion, and in FF7AC, his passion was directed through his relentless attempts to find Jenova. So taking this on board...does my Kadaj really seem so out of character? By expressing his joyful emotions in a way that he seems almost...human?

I guess its food for thought. lol.

Hn...well.. my last chappie about Kaddy was a little short.. and since there was much more dialogue than there was description... I guess that is the main reason why some of you guys were a little bemused by my unusual presentation of Kadaj...

So yeah...

...it will probably be better if I start writing this chapter instead of writing about it!

lol.

So enough of my rambling and on with the fic!

xxx

"Everything is going to be alright..." The stranger whispered fondly, as his gloved fingers brushed away a few bangs from the brunette's forehead.

"...You're safe now-"

The stranger leaned his head forwards and brushed his lips across the brunette's cold brow.

"-_Mothe_r..."

Although it was faint, Aeris could feel a strange sensation, tickling down the left side of her face. It felt like the kind of touch you would feel, if you had a butterfly resting across your skin; and while the touch was far too light to wake you up from the deepest slumber; it still possessed the power to annoy your subconscious away from its early sweet dreaming.

"Nng."

The brunette frowned weakly, as she turned her head to the side, raising a hand to her face to swat away the tickly nuisance, once and for all.

But then her wayward hand encountered something which felt neither like a moth nor butterfly. In fact...it felt remarkably like fingers. Leather gloved fingers...

Aeris' sleep hazed mind could not register why it would be so strange, to have the fingers of another tracing the contours of her face. She could feel a smooth layer of leather, gliding down her delicate flesh, tracing the bow of her mouth, before gently caressing the soft pink softness of her lower lip.

A slow and lazy smile stretched across the brunette's face, and her mouth parted slowly, to release a soft sigh of pleasure, as the gentle dreamlike touch brought forth the image of burning aqua and molten silver to the flower-girl's fading subconscious.

__

"...Sephiroth..." Aeris breathed softly, as her pale hand moved to cover the sensual fingers.

And then the strange sensation _stopped_.

And the dreamlike touch slipped away from her pleading fingers.

The brunette frowned weakly in her sleep, and she turned her head from side to side, in search of the comforting touch that had been cruelly taken away.

__

"No...please...' she whimpered faintly. _'Don't go...don't leave me...alone...'_

However, the more the brunette moved, the more her mind began to draw itself away from the sleeping world of fantasy...and back into the unfortunate world of reality...

__

'Huh?'

'

Why can I...smell the sea...?' was the flower-girl's first thought, as her nose quietly sniffed the salty scent in the air.

__

'And I feel...kinda cold...The covers must have slid off sometime during the night...' was the brunette's second thought as she blindly began to grasp around for a pillow or a blanket.

"-?"

It only took Aeris a few moments to realise that there were no covers to be found, and that her futon felt much harder and colder than she remembered it to be the night before.

The brunette's dark lashes fluttered once, then twice, and then slowly her eyelids opened, to stare upwards at the first thing she saw.

__

'...huh? Why does the ceiling of my room look...so...dark...and cave-like?'

The brunette blinked once, however, the rocky ceiling did not appear from her imagination..

And then Aeris blinked twice.

"-!"

And the girl's eyes widened in sudden realisation..

The brunette snapped her body upwards into a sitting position, gaping upwards and outwards at her unknown surroundings "Where am I?" Aeris gasped in shock, as she raised a curled hand to her chest. "How did I get here?"

And then Aeris saw a flicker of a silver outline in the darkness.

And her heart decided that it no longer needed to continue beating.

"AGHH!"

The brunette's eyes bugged in size, unable to know whether she was staring at a man or a demon.

"Who's there?" The brunette called out to the shadows as fearlessly as she could, even though her voice was violently trembling.

However the darkness did not answer.

And it only served to increase the brunette's fear.

. "...Is that you Vincent?" Aeris voiced uneasily, trying to squint her eyes into the shadows to see a glimpse of crimson or a glint of gold to no avail.

The howling wind, and the sound of the crashing waves was her only answer.

"C-Cloud?" she called out nervously.

'- - - - -'

Aeris was now shivering, and it wasn't from the cold. She was about to call out another name, but her lips were silenced when the light sound of footsteps echoed through the darkness.

The footsteps grew louder...

And so the brunette shrunk away in fright.

However the stranger continued forwards.

And so Aeris crawled backwards, oblivious to the thin streaks of fear induced sweat, that had began to trickle down her temple.

But the flower-girl's back made contact with a wall.

"-!"

Aeris could not bite back the childlike whimper that escaped from her throat.

But then the stranger stopped.

And Aeris felt like she could breathe again...

However...it wasn't for long...

For the unknown figure had now stepped into the light... and while it was too dark to see the stranger's entire features, Aeris could see how the stranger was swathed in a black robe which covered his face from view. In a robe which seemed all too familiar.

The brunette's mind was jolted back to a forgotten memory outside the Shinra Mansion; where a pale faced demon stared at her, with eyes the colour of death.

"Ah! It's you!" Aeris screamed, as she threw herself backwards, forgetting a certain minor fact that she was already pressed against a solid wall. The brunette groaned in agony, knowing that her back was going to be black and blue come tomorrow morning. However she had no time to think of such irrelevancies, when death was staring at her right in the face...quite literally.

"It's me?"

A bemused voice replied to her call. A voice which sounded young, but pleasantly masculine. The brunette felt her face vault in surprise.

__

'Is this what death sounds like...the voice of a boy?'

However Aeris didn't have time to consider such a thought, for the voice was **_suddenly_** sitting right beside her! "And who am I meant to be?" The voice asked in a silvery light tone; a tone which could have almost been described as mild mockery.

Aeris felt her heart catch in her throat, as her eyes darted towards the unknown presence seated beside her. Even though he was closer than he was before, the brunette was still unable to see the stranger's face, due to the unrelenting shadows created by his dark reaper's hood.

The brunette swallowed. "A..a...you...you...are..."

Aeris clenched her eyes shut. She was far too terrified to even speak. But then the brunette's thought was stolen away, by a soothing touch, gently caressing her left hand.

Her eyes flew up to stare at the dark cloaked figure, unable to see nothing more than the teen's pale mouth which had parted to speak.

"Do you know who I am?" The stranger questioned softly, as his thin lips stretched into a teasing smile; and for one split second the brunette believed she had seen those same lips on the face of another.

The flower-girl's eyes widened, and before she had realised what was happening, Aeris had thrown the stranger's hands off her form; her body had leapt off the cold ground, and she had sprinted right out of the cave.

"Mother!"

Kadaj exclaimed in surprise, and he quickly dashed after her; the speed of his movements causing his black cloak to flap upwards against the wind, and his hood to slide down his shoulders; revealing his entire face to view.

0o-00-o0

Aeris continued to run, uncaring which direction that she was going. Instinct was telling her that she had to get away. To make as much distance as she could from the dark cloaked stranger who had lips just like _'him'_. Too lost in her thoughts, Aeris was unaware of the large stone protruding from beneath the sand. Her bare left foot smashed into it, and the brunette let out a rather stunned cry, as her body pitched forward and sent her crashing face first into the soggy wet sand.

**__**

"Mother!"

Aeris clenched her teeth as she tried to force herself to her feet, however her injured ankle refused to co-operate. The brunette's pale hand moved over the rapidly swelling flesh, and her face cringed with tearful distress. Even the smallest touch of her fingers caused her entire foot to pulse with vengeful agony.

However Aeris refused to be caught by her kidnapper, and so she tried to stand up again...

"AGHHH!"

The brunette's body pitched forward once more, and her throbbing foot spiked to a level of almost unbearable pain.

Hot, white tears were now pouring down the girl's cheeks now, and the brunette's face whitened further when she heard the stranger's voice ringing out through the air; however his actual words were lost through the sounds of the crashing waves.

And then the brunette turned her head to fearfully look behind her...

And that was when she saw it...

A vivid flash of colour in the darkness.

'Silver...He has silver hair...'

And the girl's vision was blown away by that very realisation.

0o-00-o0

The dark cloaked figure crashed right to her fallen side, and planted his hands on the brunette's shoulders, bringing her body around to face him.

"Are you alright Mother?"

Aeris blinked slowly. Her mind had heard the stranger's alarmed cry, however her brain was unable to understand a single word.

The stranger's aqua tinted eyes were now staring down at her with fearful worry.

__

'His eyes...he has the same eyes...'

The brunette felt herself go unnaturally faint at the realisation, and her own eyes wavered, and her vision blurred, by the tearful realisation.

"S-Sephiroth?" Aeris said in a cracked whisper, as her trembling fingers rose upwards to catch a lock of the platinum silver that was dancing wildly in the cold night breeze.

The stranger blinked in confusion, as he stared the woman in front of him who was touching his long silvery hair. Aeris was cradling his platinum strand, as if it they had more value than the moon and stars above.

The pale faced stranger's brows furrowed weakly, as he removed his hand from the brunette's shoulder, to shakily place his own gloved hand on top of her own.

"Mother?"

Silvery aqua orbs met sharp emerald green.

The brunette blinked.

And the spell was broken..

The brunette screamed and threw herself backwards, only remembering too late about her wounded ankle.

"You're not Sephiroth!" Aeris exclaimed, as her large eyes stared up and down at the dark cloaked figure. He was too short and his body too thin. His face was too wide, and his brows too narrow. And his voice was so young...too soft...nothing like his...nothing like his black velvet tone...which could be so darkly soothing...so unexpectedly gentle... and yet so powerful and...

The brunette fiercely shook her head of all thought, before raising her burning emerald eyes, to stare up at the silver haired stranger who was kneeling before her with a look on a face which could almost be described as...concern?

"Who are you? " Aeris screamed out above the sound of the crashing waves. "Why did you kidnap me?"

__

'And why must you look so much like him?'

The stranger blinked and made no response.

"Is that all you are going to do?" Aeris snapped loudly. "You're just going to stand there and-OWW!" Aeris cringed in pain, while turning back to her throbbing ankle. It felt like her foot had ballooned to twice its size, and Aeris was glad that it was still fairly dark, since she did not want to look at the horribly discoloured flesh of her skin, glaring back at her in the painful shades of crimson blue.

"Oww.." Aeris moaned, as she cradled her wounded foot in her hands. She then turned her head back towards her silver haired kidnapper, and Aeris was horrified to see that the teen was practically sitting right in front of her! The brunette had been unaware that the boy had silently crept closer to her. He was so close that Aeris could feel the heat of his warm breath caressing her icy cold cheeks, and even though her vision was impeded by hazy shadows of the early dawn, Aeris could see the faint flecks of icy mint, glinting within the teen's cat like irises, and a faint pink tinge of colour, glistening on the stranger's lower lip.

The brunette was too stunned to even move away.

And then the dark cloaked teen began to speak.

"You are...in pain?" the stranger questioned uneasily, as his watery green eyes fell down to stare upon her wounded ankle, before slowing rising upwards to meet her own. The brunette responded to his answer with a stern glare, however the look soon slipped off her face when the stranger's black gloved hands began to move towards her left ankle.

"No don't!" Aeris gasped, as she flew her arms around both her feet in a fiercely protective gesture. "Keep away from me!"

The stranger's fingers paused in mid air.

"But you're in pain?" the dark cloaked teen replied in obvious bafflement, not able to understand why the brunette refused to let him help her.

Aeris was not oblivious to the sound of concern in the stranger's voice. In fact, the realisation made her feel even more nervously disturbed.

"But I don't even know who you are!" Aeris retorted hotly, while she subtly tried to draw her body away from the teen without aggravating her foot any further. "How would I know that you want to help me...? And besides, didn't you just kidnap me?I bet you just want to damage it even more, so that you know I'll won't be able to run away from you again!" Aeris exclaimed, as she bent her head down to nurse her foot.

The brunette missed the strange flicker of emotion which flashed across the teen's pale faced features, and if Aeris had seen it, she might have almost been ashamed of what she had said. However the stranger's guilt ridden look disappeared as quickly as it came, and when Aeris raised her head to look at the silver haired stranger, she was confused to see the teen fiddling with an unusual leather bag that he had conveniently clipped to his side. A bag that Aeris had not noticed before, till now.

"What are you doing?" Aeris voiced warily.

The teen did not reply, however the brunette watched him unclasp the metal buckle with a faint click before dipping his hand inside the dark bag. She was half-expecting the stranger to bring out some type of knife or weapon, however when the teen withdrew his hand out, all Aeris could see was his leather clenched fist.

Aeris felt relieved...slightly.

Until she noticed the faint flicker of magic, glowing from within the stranger's gloved palm.

"Is that... materia?" Aeris voiced uneasily, as her mind began to conjure up all the many ways a person could die through the power of materia.

0o-00-o0

'**_Frozen_** to death.'

'**_Burned_** to death.'

'**_Crushed_** to death.'

'**_Melted_** to death.'

0o-00-o0

__

'Maybe I would have been safer with a knife,' the brunette thought, as her chest tightened with a rising fear.

__

'So... Is this is how its going to end?'

'Murdered by some psychotic stranger...?'

Aeris clenched her eyes tightly shut, refusing to see the fate which the planet had granted her.

She closed off her hearing, when her ears heard a faint mantra on the air.

And then it happened.

**__**

FL-A-SH!

An unknown force hit her like a gunshot to the chest, and the brunette recoiled backwards, as she felt an overwhelming power disperse into her skin, and head straight towards her bloodstream.

The flower-girl's lips opened to scream out in silent horror.

And she clenched her eyes even tighter.

Aeris didn't even want to imagine what was happening inside her body...

All she knew is that she could feel a unknown source of energy, roaring through her veins; pulsing and throbbing in time with the uneven beat of her heart. Growing warmer and warmer. Getting hotter and hotter. Her blood felt like it had been transformed to molten lava.

She felt like she was on **_fire_**...

And yet Aeris could feel no pain?

But her body still felt like it was burning...?

But...

...it didn't hurt...?

In fact...the burning.

...felt _good_...

It felt really **_good!_**

Aeris she could feel it everywhere. From her eyes, to her toes.

And before she knew it..

The sensation was gone!

The brunette's eyes snapped open in surprise. The first thing she saw was a pale green mist, slowly dissipating from the sky. The second thing she noticed was how her body was lying on the sandy beach, and that her head was lying on something warm, hard, and yet somewhat comfortable at the same time.

And then her eyes turned back to the skies...

And that was when Aeris noticed another puzzling find.

"-?"

The brunette could not understand why she could see so much colour on the horizon when it was dark only seconds before. The sun was already progressing towards the heavens, and the stars and moon had entirely faded from sight.

__

Morning had finally arisen.

__

'But how?'

The brunette's eyes widened at the realisation.

But that thought was soon lost when she felt a faint touch on the side of her neck, sliding sensually downwards, to then stop at her shoulder.

Aeris felt her whole body freeze up in horror. She didn't need to look upwards, to know whose lap her head was currently resting on. However, the brunette still turned her face to the side, to stare upwards and look into the eyes of her kidnapper.

Aeris could not contain the surprised gasp which escaped her lips.

She was completely and utterly stunned.

Now the darkness was no longer there to shadow the strangers features...

Aeris could see everything...

And what she saw...

Was totally unbelievable sight to see.

Aeris did not know what to think or feel.

She felt shocked and fearful...

And yet she felt emotionally warm and a little tearful.

The brunette could not take her eyes away...even if she wanted to..

The similarity between Sephiroth and the stranger was startling. It was far too uncanny to ignore. While the teen looked no older than sixteen or seventeen, Aeris still had to remind her subconscious that the man sitting in front of her was not him...no matter how much he looked like him.

The boys skin was the colour of alabaster, and appeared as equally fragile. His pale silver tinted hair; which was painted with soft hues of the early morning, was parted down one side of his face, concealing his right eye from view. However when Aeris peered close enough, she could see the teen's narrow cat like eyes, staring at her fondly through his silver tinted lashes.

"-!"

This dark cloaked stranger puzzled her...he fascinated her...

And the more she looked at him...

Staring at her with those soft mint green eyes...

The brunette had to remember why she seemed afraid of him in the first place.

"Do you feel better now Mother?" The silver teen asked her soothingly. "I wasn't sure how injured you were so I used Cure 3. Do you still feel anymore pain?"

The brunette blinked, trying to absorb the beautiful teen's words; finding it extremely difficult, when he stared down at her with the eyes and lips of a man she had truly loved.

Aeris nodded feebly, and then her brain finally caught on to what the teen had said.

"Restore materia?" Aeris gasped, as she pulled herself off the teen's lap to stare at him in pure and utter disbelief.

The silver haired teen nodded.

"You healed me.. with materia?" Aeris repeated in utter bewilderment. It finally made sense. The burning sensation without the pain. The cleansing fire. The forgotten pain in her ankle. It was because this stranger...this boy had healed her with the most strongest curative spell known to man.

"Yes Mother," The stranger chuckled weakly, before opening his right gloved palm, to reveal the same glowing green orb to the brunette's wide eyed gaze.

And for that single moment, Aeris found herself lost within the watery depths of the teen's mint tinted eyes.

__

'He... looks so much like him..."

"and yet so young..."

" and he..."

"---"

'Hey wait a minute?'

"Did you just call me your _Mother_?" the brunette asked incredulously.

The teen blinked back at her, and made no answer. However, Aeris was sure the boy's eyes seemed a little more brighter than they were before.

__

'Hmm...Maybe I'm just hearing things..' The brunette mused to herself as she turned her gaze downwards at newly healed ankle. She moved the foot back and forth within the sand. She twisted it to the left, then to the right, still surprised to feel no pain. Her foot was entirely healed...

Thanks to the kindness of a complete stranger...

__

'...who kidnapped me...?'

'...and looks exactly like him...?'

The brunette frowned. Something was certainly not right, however Elmyra had never brought her up to be rude and so Aeris thanked her fair haired kidnapper.

"Um...Thank you?" Aeris stated gently yet genuinely, even though she was still a little dubious of the teen's true intention and identity.

The silver haired stranger dipped his head in acknowledgement, and the brunette watched in amazement, as the teen's eyes widened, and his cheeks tinged red from the unexpected amount of gratitude he was given.

0o-00-o0

__

'Mother thanked me.'

' She praised me '

'She is happy with me.'

'..Does that mean she accepts me...?'

Kadaj was unable to hide the grin that had newly morphed across his lips.

0o-00-o0

"Ah...you're welcome..._Mother_.." The teen replied in a mildly startled tone as he bowed his shoulders low in deep gratitude; his thin bangs covering his entire face from view.

Aeris' brows leapt upwards and into her bangs.

"Urrr...why are you calling me your Mother?" The brunette asked in clear befuddlement.

The teen raised his head at the brunette's puzzled question, staring at her through the thin layers of his silver tinted hair.

"...Because that is who you are..." the teen answered simply, as his aqua tinted eyes stared back at his 'Mother' fondly.

Aeris stared blankly at the pale haired teen.

'Urrr...'

'Surely I didn't hear right?' The brunette thought to herself, trying to comprehend...trying to understand why this boy would even think such a thing.

Aeris said the first thing which fell from her lips.

"I'm sorry but I'm _not _your Mother."

The stranger's lips chuckled lightly, causing the brunette to frown in visual confusion.

"Don't be silly. Of course you are..."The platinum haired stranger repeated in a no nonsense tone while he deftly placed his materia pack into his inventory back.

The brunette blinked rapidly at the teen kneeling right beside her

__

'..What...'

'the...'

'...hell?'

"But I'm not." Aeris repeated with a little more force, more confused than anything else.

Her firm response was answered with gentle laughter, and the brunette had to admit that it was a rather pleasing sound to hear, even though Aeris, for the life of her, could not under why the stranger was even laughing at all. It wasn't like she said anything funny. She wasn't his Mother. End of story.

"Look, I think you must have the wrong person," Aeris began as calmly and sympathetically as she could.

"I have no children.."

__

'Is this a joke?'

"...nor have I adopted any..."

__

'Is there something I'm not getting?'

"...I'm a Mother to no-one..."

__

'Sides, I don't even know who you are?'

The brunette's brow crinkled with her growing confusion.

"Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Kadaj Mother." The teen promptly answered, unfazed by the flower-girl's words. In fact he seemed a little amused, what with the way his eyes twinkled in the morning sunlight.

A nerve twitched in the side of the brunette's face. The joke was getting old now.

"Well Kadaj," Aeris replied, pausing for a moment to taste the name on her lips. The name was as foreign as the boy sitting before her. "I hate to say this but I am not your Mother. Like I said before, I've had no children, nor have I adopted any recently..."

The brunette stopped, unable to understand why Kadaj was grinning so happily. However, when she frowned, it only served to transform Kadaj's humoured grin into a full-fledged smile.

'Huh?'

The brunette was completely baffled.

And yet... there was something about the boy's smile. Something which unnerved her...and disturbed her with its mocking familiarity.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Aeris questioned carefully, trying not to convey the full extent of her uneasiness.

"Like what Mother?" Kadaj asked simply, as he tilted his head to side, hiding the entire right side of his face from view within the shadows of his pale hair. However, Aeris could still see the boy's eyes staring out beneath the silver curtain.

"Like that!" The brunette exclaimed in unconcealed frustration. "As if you know me!"

The teen's smirked at the brunette's response, and his eyes twinkled with a glittering green secrecy.

Aeris had finally had enough.

"Look Kadaj! I don't know who you are or what you want with me! Well I'm gonna tell you something, this Aeris Gainsborough doesn't like being stolen from her bed in the middle of the night! And if you kidnapped me because you think I am your Mother, then I'm afraid you are sorely mistaken...and if you-"

The teen's mouth moved as if he was about to speak. However Aeris swiftly intercepted them.

"Look... I'm going to tell you for the last time...I am NOT YOUR MOTHER." Aeris snapped. "I'm not old enough to be your Mother! I'm only twenty two and a virgin nonetheless! The last time I checked, a virgin cannot have a child of their own!"

The teen stared in wide eyed in surprise at the brunette's exclamation. He was too shocked to even blink a response. Aeris released a silent breath of relief. Kadaj had finally understood. He now knew that she wasn't related to him, and if she had to sacrifice her own humility for the truth...then so be it.

However...

When Aeris watched the teen bow his head downwards to his chest, hiding his facial expression from view, the brunette began to feel a little essence of guilt.

'_Did my words upset him that much?'_

'Did I really have to shout at him like that?'

'He thought I was his Mother..'

'And he is what...fifteen? Sixteen?'

'But why should I feel guilty?'

'... he kidnapped me..'

'...he took me from my friends...'

'..and yet he did what he did... because he mistook me for his Mother...?'

'But...he looks nothing like me...'

'...and in fact...if he was anyone's child...'

'He'd most likely be...'

'...**His**...!'

The brunette was beginning to feel a little anxious at that last thought, and her mind began to conjure up images of a certain silver haired swordsman holding a child in his arms, who had hair the colour of starlight.

Aeris gnawed her bottom lip. She didn't know why, but the thought of Sephiroth having a child just seemed...so very, very wrong...

'No not wrong,' her inner conscious stated snidely. 'It would merely mean that Sephiroth was already taken by another...and he never told you...and that he lied to you... he may even have other children that you don't know about... he may have even married...'

Aeris eradicated that last thought as quickly as it came.

Regardless, of her thoughts and memories of the past, they were not helping the brunette with her present situation with a certain teenaged boy

__

'Besides...it may be just a coincidence. Some people can look alike...and not be related...right?'

'...right?'

The brunette swiftly turned her attention back to Kadaj, shutting her mind off from all wayward thought.

"Hey.." Aeris voiced softly, as she tried to look for the teen's face beneath his shoulder length mass of silvery locks . "I'm sorry that I shouted at you like that, but you gave me very little choice..." The brunette apologised, as she raised a consoling hand towards the teen's shoulder. As her fingers landed on the soft leather fabric, the brunette was surprised to feel how the teen was shaking beneath her hands.

"Hey...are you alright?" Aeris asked in visible worry, as the teen's tense shoulders began to quake even more.

And then Kadaj spoke.

"You...you"

The brunette paused, as the teen tried to speak.

"You...Ha-ha haha, you are truly funny Mother!" Kadaj cackled, as he hunched his body forward in an attempt to stifle his chuckling sides. "Ha ahhaha hah! You are better than I dreamed!" He exclaimed proudly, and Aeris was truly astonished to see a tears glistening in the teen's eyes.

The brunette blinked in pure bafflement. "Excuse me?"

__

'Wha?

'Has this kid got a few screws loose?'

Aeris quickly withdrew her arm swiftly back to her side. The teen was in utter hysterics. He was sniggering and giggling, unable to stifle the sounds which fell from his half closed lips. To be honest, it was a rather disturbing sight to see; and for one single moment, Aeris wondered about the sanity of the teen in front of her..

But she did not have to wonder for long...

For before she knew it, Kadaj had lunged himself upon her.

Aeris opened her mouth to scream, and she threw her arms up to shield her face. But when she felt the teen's arms curl their way around her waist, and his head droop on her shoulder, Aeris felt her entire world go deathly still.

"Gah? Wha? What are you doing-?" Aeris exclaimed, as she stared wide-eyed at the boy who had possessively wrapped his arms around her torso. The brunette tried to pull her body backwards. She tried to push Kadaj off her to no avail, and even though the teen's arms were lean and thin, Kadaj's arms were tightly locked around her, in a rigid iron hold.

__

'Hey! Doesn't this kid know about the importance of personal space?'

The brunette continued to struggle, but it was futile.

Aeris knew that she was entirely at the teen's mercy, unable to move, until Kadaj allowed her to.

And so Aeris stopped struggling, and let the strange silver haired boy hug her; and if the brunette was truly honest with herself, she would have admitted that she was somewhat enjoyed the teen's heartfelt embrace. It felt nice. It felt comforting...even though it was a little disturbing to hug someone she did not know.. But much more than that, Aeris did not feel like she was in danger. The boy seemed practically harmless.

And then Kadaj spoke, and what he said destroyed every last piece of sensibility from the flower-girl's shattered mind.

"I've waited so_ long_ for this moment Mother. I _fought_ so hard to have this moment with you." Kadaj whispered in her shoulder as his arms tightened.

The brunette blinked. Totally stunned and unable to say a single word.

"I was the _one_ who was _chosen_." Kadaj continued softly. "I was the one who was _chosen_ to find _you_..." The teen gently nuzzled the crook of the brunette's skin.

Aeris felt her entire body go slack in surprise.

She didn't dare to believe.

__

'What?'

And then Kadaj continued on.

"And I'm here to take you to **_him_**. To take you to our _Reunion_." the teen continued on gently, as he raised a gloved hand to idly tangle his fingers through the brunette's hair, taking specific attention to one chestnut ringlet; and amusing himself with the springy corkscrew, entirely oblivious to the flower-girl's inner torment.

Aeris was completely stunned, and she knew she would have dropped to the ground long ago if Kadaj wasn't still holding her. Her whole body had suddenly gone totally numb and her whole brain was whirling.

"The Reunion?" The brunette's mouth was working without her mind. "You want to take me to the Reunion?"

"Yes." Kadaj answered in her shoulder.

0o-00-o0

__

And then Aeris remembered...

Her thoughts on their connection.

The eyes and their hair...

It wasn't a coincidence...

0o-00-o0

Aeris felt her eyes tear over. Whether it was through sheer terror or pure delight, the brunette did not know.

"To see **_him_**?"

The teen nodded into his shoulder. "Yes him."

"And he's alive...?" Her words were whispered, and yet they seemed to echo right across the sea.

"Yes..." Kadaj answered, as his hands tightened around his 'Mother'.

Aeris was now violently trembling.

Wet threads of emotion trickled from beneath her now closed eyelashes.

__

'He's alive...'

'Sephiroth is alive...'

'- - -- '

'And I can finally find him again...'

'And I can finally tell him the truth...'

'But...'

'-?'

'Wait a moment!"

'The reunion?'

'This boy is going to take me to the Reunion?'

"-!"

'But...'

'...can't the Reunion only be entered...'

"...THROUGH DEATH?"

The brunette's eyes widened in horror and her face blanched of all colour.

It finally made sense.

__

'The reason why the Kadaj was here...'

'And why he had kidnapped me...'

'And why he looks so much like him...'

'It's because he was sent out here to kill me!'

****

Authors notes

****

Ahahahaha! Now hows that for a cliff-hanger! (Aer-seph cackles insanely). Poor Aeris. What is going to happen with her? What is Kadaj going to do with her? Will he kill her to take her to the reunion like Aeris fears...or will he do something else? Lol. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. There was a lot of passion running through this one. I am still grafting Kaddys character as you can see. He has finally found his mother...ah hah and hes so cute! I bet you guys are still confused as to why Kadaj calls Aeris Mother. Hn...well...lets just say that its a secret. lol. Aeris doesnt understand either. Oh and before I get a review about this idea, no! This fic is not one of those Future Son comes back to the past to meet Past Mother stories.

Oh and Dont forget to review you guys!

****

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

P.S

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me. Just click on my penname at the top of the page.


	8. Promises

****

To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story

9359 words

27 pages

Chapter 8 Promises

Disclaimer

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol

Author's Notes

Hey you guys, I hope you are all doing well. At the moment, I'm feeling rather lazy and lethargic. And it isn't like I have done anything to make me feel this way either! Well...I guess I have been doing a few paintings over the last few wks, but still... holding a wet brush to a dry canvas isn't what I would call taxing... Hmm.. maybe I'm coming down with a cold or something. It wouldn't be the first time eithercos for some strange reason, I never get my colds in the winter (touch wood), it is usually in the summer. Hah, I guess that simply proves how Im always an anomaly of nature. lol

;p

Heh.

Ah well...if Im really coming down with something, it only means that Ill need to get this chappie out as fast as possible, before my body tries to give up on me, lol.

As for my musical muse today, I have to admit that its kinda unusual...ish. Lately, I've been searching for music which reminds me of Kadaj...without being FF influenced. It isn't as easy as one might think, for while there are a lot of pieces which scream out the themes of pure Kadajiness, they don't necessarily inspire me to write about him! Well...that is until I listened to a certain infamous piece of music today...called... 'Tubular Bells' by Mike Oldfield (one of my favies) and the Main theme of 'Requiem for a Dream'. They both have a theme of madness and horror...and yet there is an underlying form of sanity through the distinct riffs and repetitions within both pieces. Very beautiful...if you like that type of music. lol. And then I listened to another one of my favs. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; A Love Before Time' main theme song, which links to the typical theme of love verses the whole idea of the apocalypse and such. I especially love the repeated imagery of a striking light in the eyes of the one you truly love Hmm...maybe they are describing a mako light...? lol.

And then of course there are all my favie Evanescence and HYDE songs and other random soundtracks, but I won't go into that. lol

Wow, after writing all that, I now feel really psyched up to write this chapter...

So enough of my ramblings

And on with the fic!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

Aeris could no longer breathe.

It finally made sense.

'The reason why Kadaj was here...'

'And why he had kidnapped me...'

'And why he looks so much like him...'

'It's because he was sent out here to kill me!'

"No..." Aeris whispered softly, as her arms and shoulders began to involuntarily shake with a growing fear. "No, no, please...no... it can't...I won't..." she murmured to herself, in a mantra of broken words and warbled utterances.

Even now, she could already see the images of that unforgettable night. His glittering green eyes and the way he had held his sword to her throat. A flash of silver, tainted with crimson, and the blood...his blood trickling down her fingers, staining her tearstained cheeks, and pooling over the metal rails between them.

The brunette's pupil's flexed and dilated. Her mouth opened and closed, unable to draw in a single breath. She could see him inside her mind. She could hear his words in her head. His lips. His voice. He was telling her what he wanted her to do. He was telling her what he was going to do with her...and that he wanted her to smile, because he was going to give her a gift, a gift that no other being could ever deserve. That only she could deserve...

__

'Eternity..'

She could feel his arms tightening around her. Holding her. Binding her to his chest.

__

You are mine

And then Aeris could feel leather gloved fingers grasping his chin, forcing her eyes to look upwards... trapping her inside his haunting gaze of green oblivion, and taking her spirit to a world of tainted dreams and broken promises.

"I-I don't want to die..." Aeris whispered brokenly, as she closed her tearful eyes. "Please Seph...I want to see you again... but I do not want to die..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

'...what did I do wrong?'

Kadaj was at a total loss of what to do. His Mother...was crying. He wanted to comfort her, but she could not hear his words. She acted like he was not there; and so he tightened his arms around her, but that only helped to increase her physical trembling.

"Mother, are you alright? Are you still hurt?"

The brunette's whole body was limp and lifeless, and her face was drooped to one side, hidden beneath a mass of dark curly hair.

"Mother! Please! Tell me what's wrong?"

The teen felt his own eyes waver despite his attempts to stay calm. But it was getting all the more difficult to remain in control, especially with the way he was unable to get a response out of the unmoving brunette. Kadaj tried moving the flower-girls bangs out of her vision, before raising her chin so that her eyes could meet his own. However, even though the teen was looking at her, Aeris seemed to be looking through him; totally oblivious to the world around her. And she was mumbling words...words he did not understand.

__

'

What should I do?...think Kadaj think.'

'If it was one of my brothers, like Loz, I'd slap them out of it...'

'...but I can't hit Mother! I could never forgive myself.'

'...but...'

'- - - -what else can I do..?'

'- - - - -'

'...please forgive me Mother...'

The teen drew back one hand, and let it fly forward. However just when his fingers were about to make contact with the brunettes pale flesh, Kadaj suddenly had a change of heart, and quickly withdrew his gloved hand back to his side. He simply couldn't do it. He'd rather slice off his own feet with his Souba, before ever daring to try and harm a single hair on his Mother's blessed head.

__

Mother..

Kadaj had never felt so hopeless in his entire life!

__

What is wrong with you?

He just wanted to know what to do, and what to say. If it was anyone else, he would have shouted in their face and slapped their cheeks awake until they glowed a bright cherry-red. But Kadaj knew that he couldn't do that to her. To his beloved Mother. He had promised himself long ago, that when he found his Mother, he would transform himself into a being of pure perfection. He would reign in his temper, and decline his own self needs. He refused to let his Mother see any part of him which would make her reject him as her son. He would live for herand he would fight for her... Hed do absolutely anything for her to prove himself to herto show how he was better than all the rest

__

BecauseI

I want to be your **favourite**

"Mother please...tell me what's wrong.'" Kadaj pleaded anxiously. Tell me what I can do to help you

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

And then his Mother began to speak.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Seph. Aeris murmured weakly, as she unconsciously moved her tear drenched face onto one of the teens dark padded shoulders. Please Seph, I want to see you again

__

.Seph?

Kadaj blinked.

__

who is this Seph?

.oh

.she must mean him

Sephiroth

But I I do not want to_ die_ The brunette finished sorrowfully, as she rubbed her wet and reddened cheeks against the teens soft leather pauldron.

And I do not want you to die either, Kadaj murmured gently in her ear, raising his arms to cradle his Mothers head to his chest. And that is why I was sent here to find you. The teen continued on, as he brushed a few hairs behind the brunettes ear.

For you see Mother.. I know of another way to get to the Reunion a way where you do not need to die to get there

Even through the fog of her nightmarish memories, Aeris was able to pick up the strangers startling words.

_Another way_ the brunette echoed weakly to herself as she slowly removed her head from the teens shoulder. without dying? Then for the first time, the flower-girl noticed her close proximity to the silver haired teen, and so she quickly shuffled herself off the Kadajs lap, much to the teens misfortune.

But that cannot be.. Aeris continued softly, as her now lucid green eyes focussed on the teen sitting right in front of her. He told meSephiroth said.. that the only way I could enter the Reunioniswas through _death_?

That is one way, the silver haired teen admitted. However there is one other waybut it involves travelling towards the far**_ North_**.

The North? Aeris voiced weakly.

Yes, Kadaj nodded. The North. I came straight from the Reunion to find you Mother.

Kadaj smiled widely when he noticed how his Mother was hanging onto each and every word that he said. It empowered the teen to continue on, and his voice became higher pitched with growing excitement.

Yes, beyond the Northern wastelands of ice and snow, lies a hidden path that will lead you straight into the very core of the the Reunion and-

I wont die? Aeris intercepted softly, nearly choking on her own words.

You wont die, Kadaj promised ardently. However. The teen grinned through his long bangs, revealing a devilish line of pearly white teeth. I must admit, that if you chose to die now, it would be a much faster method of transportation, rather than travelling the whole journey there on the back of chocobo, He teased gently, only to regret his choice words when he noticed how the brunettes face paled with pure fright.

But that is why I am here Mother, so you neednt fear about dying anymore, Kadaj amended quickly. I was the one that was chosen out of manyI was the one who was sent here to not only guide you to the Reunion Kadajs eyes then grew serious and his voice lowered to a soothing pitch.

but to be your **_protector_**. He deftly took the brunettes hands into his own gloved ones. And I will protect you Mother, from anything and everyone. Whatever you tell me, I will do. Whatever you wish for, I will grant. You will have nothing to fear when I am around, and that is my oath from now till the end of eternity. I will take you to the Reunion Mother, just tell me when you are ready, and then we can go to the Reunion together!

Aeris stared blearily eyed at the silver haired teen, clearly bewildered by the strangers emotional passion. His undeniable loyalty towards her was immensely disturbing. The way he addressed her as his Mother was still as eternally puzzlingand yet, Aeris could not find any other fault with the silver haired boy.

__

But what if this is all a lie

or a dream?

a hopeless dream that I will soon wake up from?

A way to reach the Reunionto find Sephiroth without dying?

.it sounds so impossible

She stared down at their still locked hands, silently contemplating their tightly clasped significance.

__

And yet..

what if Im not this boy is not lying?

wouldnt that mean this is all real?

and that

I

I finally have the chance to see him again

And then I can tell him the truth..

I can tell him everything that Vincent had told me

How he is not a Cetra.

..and that he has no reason to fight any longer..

or to continue the madness

And then

We would be together again. For all eternity, just like we promised.

And you can take me to the Reunion without dying? Aeris asked slowly, as she turned her glassy green eyes to meet the teens soft mint tinted gaze.

Yes Mother. Kadaj nodded, and his gloved hands squeezed the brunettes in soft reassurance.

Aeris let the Mother titles slide for a moment. The boys strange addressing for her didnt really matter now. In fact, the brunette wouldnt have cared if Kadaj decided to call her a 'Pink and Furry Wendigo', if he could help her get to the Reunion without dying. And you can take me to see himto see Sephiroth?

The teen nodded in affirmative, all the while staring into the brunettes dark green eyed gaze, and Aeris felt overwhelmed; as she stared into such familiar haunting green eyes, which were so devastatingly expressive, and full of pure unadulterated emotion.

Yes. I can take you anytime you want. Just tell me when youre ready Mother, and I will take you there, Kadaj stated tenderly.

_Now_! Aeris answered almost instantaneously. Im ready to go now!

The teens eyes immediately brightened with visible elation.

_Fantastic_! he exclaimed, as he enveloped the still stunned brunette into another possessive embrace. He pulled back swiftly, and tugged the brunette to her feet.

It may take us a week at most, Kadaj babbled onwards, as he guided Aeris down the white stained beach. It would take a least two months if we walked, but since I have got a choco-_Shit_! Kadaj cursed out loud, stopping instantly, as he turned back to stare at the brunette in clear embarrassment.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The brunette blinked in sheer bafflement.

__

Choco-shit?

Aeris really had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

Shit. How could I forget about that blasted yellow duck ! The teen cursed to himself, only remembering all too late about a certain chocobo that had inconveniently gone AWOL. Kadaj knew that unless he found another chocobo in the next few hours, then there would be no chance of the two of them getting back to the Reunion in just seven days. However, for some reason, the thought of returning to the Reunion later than expected didnt really bother Kadaj in the least. In fact, it rather pleased him.

After allthat would mean that I can have Mother_ all to myself_ for just a little longer... The teen thought mischievously, as he grasped the brunettes hand and tugged her down the opposite direction across the beach.

Sorry Mother, but there has been a slight delay to our plans. Our mode of transportation has inconveniently disappeared from existence, Kadaj stated lightly, sounding anything but apologetic in tone. However, I guess that simply means that well need to find another way to cross the sea, the teen continued on as he guided the brunette across the sand by his hand. Perhaps I can make a boat, or maybe find another chocobo. The last one I caught was far too fat to run anyway. Pity that it ran away though, Ive never tried chocobo meat before, I bet it would have been rather tasty. Have you ever tried it _Mother_?

The brunette frowned at the teens words. Not because of his cruel chocobo comments. But due to the last word the teen had said yet again.

do you keep calling me your Mother? Aeris questioned, wanting a full straight out answer. While the title didnt overly bother her, it just seemed rather strange how a fully grown teenager that she had only met today could call her his Mother without any logical reason or explanation.

Because that is who you are, the teen retorted a little too quickly, as his lips contorted into a genuine grin of amusement.

The brunette sighed warily.

And who told you that I am your Mother?

The teen shrugged. Someone, Kadaj answered casually.

The brunette frowned. Which someone? Aeris questioned.

Just someone, Kadaj replied in mild amusement, as he tilted his head backwards to gauge the brunettes expression. As he expected, his Mother was clearly not amused, and so he quickly tried to appease her, by answering her early question. **_He_** told me. **_He_** told us all.

Whos he? Aeris repeated dubiously, assuming Kadaj was still playing games with her.

Mother, you are so silly. Of course you know who he is, Kadaj laughed happily, whilst shaking his head in clear amusement.

The brunette blinked. I do?

The realisation then hit her like a tonne of bricks.

You mean_ Sephiroth_ told you Im your Mother?'

The teens lips curled upwards, revealing the answer in his charming, thin lipped smile.

The realisation brought up only more questions.

But how could that be possible?' Aeris thought frantically. How could hewhen did hewhy would he?

When did you see him? Aeris questioned fiercely. When did Sephiroth tell you that Im your Mother?

Some time ago, the teen replied honestly.

And when was that? Aeris prodded further.

Kadaj shrugged. I dont know. Time has no reign over us in the Sanctuary.

The brunettes eyes narrowed. What? The Sanctuary? Kadaj, what are you talking about?

Im sorry Mother. I forget that you have never been there. The Sanctuary is apart of the Reunion.

Aeris rubbed a hand to her forehead. Nothing was making any sense.

So Sephiroth told you that Im your Mother?

Yeah. He told all of us when we first got to the Reunion,

Huh all of you. The brunette furrowed her brow. How many of you are there?

I dunno, the teen admitted. Quite a few. About a hundred or so, however the number may have risen since Ive been gone.

The brunettes eyes bugged out in pure shock.

__

A hundred!

What the hell is Sephiroth up to? He refuses to love me. He tries to kill me, and now he has decided to make me the mother of all his adopted children. The brunette frowned darkly. _GrrrWhen I get my hands on him.._

Kadaj, what else did Sephiroth say about me? Aeris questioned grimly.

Nothing much. We were only told of your existence, and then soon after that, we were all tested to see who was the strongest, the fastest, and the most powerful. The teen smiled smugly. And out of everyone who was tested, I was proven to be the best of them that was why I was chosen to be the one to find you Mother,

Aeris sighed. The teen was not saying anything he hadnt already told her.

__

But I still dont understand whats going on

if there was another way to get to the Reunion without dying, why didnt Sephiroth tell me.

unless he didnt know himself

The brunette sighed once more.

__

Sephirothwhat are you up to..?Andwhy did you send this boy to collect me, instead of coming to find me yourself ?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**__**

Mid Morning; Wutai Inn...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What! She's gone!" Cloud exclaimed, refusing to believe what he had heard to be true.

"Well she wasn't in her room when I woke up, and Yuffie has just told me that no-one has seen her wandering around the town," Tifa replied, watching as her blond haired leader face-palmed his head into his hands.

"Then where could she be?" Cloud groaned between his fingers.

__

'Unless...'

The blond whipped his head upwards at a sudden thought.

"Where's Vincent?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know Cloud," Tifa admitted, as her face contorted into a look of mild confusion. "Are you trying to say...that Aeris could be with Vincent?"

"Vincent arrived back here with Aeris last night," the blond replied in a deadened tone, however his mako eyes told another story.

The brunette's eyes widened at the hidden implication that was written in the blue depths of her leader's brightly glowing gaze. "You mean...as in together-together?"

The blond nodded before slowly turning his face away from his childhood companion.

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows softly, partly perplexed why her leader was acting so oddly. "Then I guess we shouldn't need to worry then," the brunette responded eventually, watching the way Cloud observed her through the side of his long, pale bangs. "At least we know that we can trust Vincent to protect Aeris from harms way."

Cloud nodded in agreement, however even Tifa could see that the blond appeared more than a little doubtful of the gunmans true intentions.

"But.." the blond began, as a myriad of thoughts began to flow through his head. There were so many things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Tifa how he didn't think Vincent was right for Aeris...and that there was something about the dark haired gunman which deeply disturbed him... not to forget the whole fact that Vincent's history seemed to be steeped within the black secrets of Shinra...

__

'Shinra!'

The blonds eyes widened in alarm.

__

Why didnt I realise it sooner?

"Where are you going Cloud?" Tifa asked in visible confusion as she watched her leader begin to assemble all his equipment together, clipping his leather buckles and tassels in place, before reaching for his shoes and socks, and pulling them both on in record time.

"'I'm going to go look for Aeris." The blond replied firmly, as he deftly sheathed his large broad sword, before turning to face his dark haired companion once more.

The brunette frowned softly, as she looked down at her bare feet and then to her gloveless hands. She never liked rushing, but if that was what her leader wanted...

"Should I go and wake the others then?" Tifa offered calmly as she began to walk towards the paper door, where Barret, Cid and Red currently resided.

The blond shook his head. "That's not necessary Tifa. I shouldn't be long..." Cloud stated softly as he turned to make his leave.

__

'That is...if Aeris is actually with Vincent...' A voice in the bad of his head uttered snidely.

__

She might have ran away.

you remember the way she stared at you last night.

she seemed so terrified...so very afraid'

The blond shook his head, refusing to let his fears manipulate his inner thoughts.

And then Cloud turned his head back towards the brunette. "Oh and Tifa...if either Aeris or Vincent return while I'm gone, tell them to wait here...or better yet, ring me on my PHS."

The brunette nodded, watching in silence as the blond turned and left the room without a single word of goodbye.

Cloud Tifa sighed sadly, as she stared at the paper portal for a few silent moments, before eventually turning and preparing herself for a long and tiring day ahead.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Cloud darted through the Wutai market, searching through the throngs of tourists and townsfolk, for anyone, or anything which could fit the description of a certain pink clothed, brown haired, flower-girl. But it was a hopeless cause. The blond had looked anywhere and everywhere and still, he had found nothing. From the shops to the pubs, to the gardens and the high streets; he had even ran a mad dash around the Da Chou Mountains but there was still no sign of her. Cloud was nearly at his wits end! He had already phoned Tifa three times, however she replied with the same message. They havent came back yet. The blond just couldn't understand where his missing companions could be.

The blond scratched the back of his head, as he continued to search through the crowd; every once and a while shouting out the flower girls name, in hope that Aeris would hear his voice, and that she would call back out to him.

But Cloud received no reply, and it only made him all the more anxious. He kept on creating images in his mind, of all the ways he could find Aeris.

__

laying facedown in a ditch somewhereor down a dark abandoned alleywayher entire body broken bloodied and bruised

The blond picked up his speed and began pushing against anyone and everyone who got in his way.

Cloud was truly regretting the fact that he did not give Aeris one of the spare PHSs that he had in his inventory. It would have really came in handy now.

__

only if Aeris is still **alive** to use it

The blond bit his lip, and shouted out the flower-girls name even louder than before. Cloud knew that he had already made three laps around Wutai, and yet he had not even heard, nor had he seen anything which could help him find either of his two missing team-mates.

But when he was about to lose his mind with worry, his mako tinted eyes caught sight of a familiar shade of crimson, flapping in the wind, before hastily sneaking around a narrow street corner in the far distance.

__

Is that..?

"Vincent!" Cloud called out sharply, elevating his voice above the hustle and bustle of the crowds around him; trying to push himself through the early, eager shoppers with children, who refused to move out of his way.

"Vincent!" Cloud cried out again, as his kept his mako eyes locked onto the long tail of crimson, following it down street after street, through busy alleyway after busy alleyway. However since the leader of Avalanche was blindly following the crimson cloth, that meant he unfortunately missed the sight of a small dark haired child who was sprinting towards him at full speed.

**__**

-B-a-n-g-!-

The collision wasn't pretty, and while Cloud was able to keep his balance after the highly unexpected impact, the young boy was sent flying into the air and across the floor.

"- - - -"

The blond blinked in bewilderment, turning his gaze to fallen child who was now sobbing on the floor in pure hysterics.

And then Cloud raised his eyes back through the crowded streets.

However to his frustration, the crimson cloth was nowhere to be seen.

"Damnit! Cloud cursed softly, looking from the crying boy on the ground, and then back to the direction of the street, where the crimson cloth had disappeared off to. His conscience was telling him to check over the boy, however his eyes kept on jerking off towards his other choice.

However the blond did not have to decide for long.

****

"You just attacked my son! How dare you!"

"You'll pay Mister!"

"How dare you attack my little brother!"

Cloud only had the time to turn his head around in surprise, before three large and gaudy handbags flew and crashed against his stupefied face.

"Hey! I didn't mean to! He crashed into me!" Cloud protested, as he tried to defend himself from the three rather robust women who were currently attacking him with their oversized handbags.

"You lying dog!" The oldest woman snapped, as she cracked her green crocodile skinned bag across the blonds forehead. "He's just a little boy. And even if he even has one broken bone, I'm gonna sick my hubby on you!"

"Yeah Sis, you tell that bad man!" the shortest yipped, as she childishly slapped Cloud's arms with her fat, podgy fingers.

The blond had noticed how the crowd had now parted around him, cheering for the brutal women to do their worst to him.

"Look. I'm sorry," the blond began, wincing sharply when a garish green bag painfully whacked the side of his jaw. "It was an accident."

"Yeah, yeah, thats what they all say..." The third retorted cruelly, as she flew her glitzy pink tote bag against the blonds legs.

Cloud had finally had enough.

"But it was an _accident_!" Cloud yelled as he tried to move backwards, however the blond knew that he had nowhere to run. The crowd had made a ring around him, and they weren't going to let him go, until they were ready to. Cloud knew that the only choice he had was to fight, however he was sure that the only materia he had on him were created to kill...and not to confine or restrain.

However the more hits the blond took upon his defenceless form, only made the idea of summoning Ifrit or Shiva upon the three crazy women all the more tempting.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

But then the jeering crowd suddenly went suddenly silent.

And the pummelling fists stopping slamming.

And the ugly large bags stopped banging.

And then the blond haired leader of Avalanche raised his head upwards in confusion...

...to stare into eyes the colour of freshly spilt blood.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Vincent!" Cloud called out, trying to struggle out from beneath the weight of the fat women, who were quite literally crushing him with their tree trunk arms and their flabby fingers.

The Ex-Turk stood within the centre of the street, and his dark eyes scanned across the now silent crowd around them, before latching his haunting gaze upon the flailing blond. The gunman then slowly raised his left golden claw to his torso and reached inside his cloaked pocket..

And his demon eyes flashed a crimson red.

"_Stop_..." Vincent murmured softly

..and the three women which surrounded the blond, fell instantly to the ground like dead flies. Lifeless And motionless. Blank of all thought, and of all emotion.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

The crowd went deathly silent...

And then the **screaming **began.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**__**

EEEEEEEKKKKK!

AGHHHH! MURDERER! MURDERER!

HES A DEMON!

HE KILLED THREE WOMEN BY JUST STARING AT THEM!

DONT LOOK INTO HIS EYES OR HELL DEVOUR YOUR SOUL!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The tourist ran in all directions, screaming of how a demon had invaded their town and was going on a mass slaughter. Their fearful madness gave Vincent enough time to place his _'Time materia'_ back into his pocket, and pull his befuddled leader out from beneath the three unconscious women.

"Vincent!" Cloud called out in relief, as he let himself be dragged through the crowds by the older male, stopping only when they reached an empty alleyway.

"Are you alright?" The gunman asked after a moment, as he watched the blond try to compose himself after his horrifying ordeal.

"Yeah...just a little sore..." Cloud replied weakly, as he stared at his left bicep, trying to make sense as to why he could see a pair of lipstick stained bite marks, across his pale flesh.

Vincent said nothing, however when the blond turned to look up at him, he was sure that the gunman was mentally laughing at him.

Cloud frowned...

However the look was soon lost when he remembered the reason why he was looking for Vincent in the first place.

"Vincent, have you seen Aeris?"

The gunman blinked in clear confusion, before slowly shaking his head in negative.

"No?" The blond echoed quietly, as his eyes began to glitter with growing apprehension. He had assumed that Aeris would have been with Vincent. But then the gunman's next words broke his concentration.

"Are you telling me that Aeris has gone missing again?" Vincent stated quietly, as his crimson eyes narrowed with obvious suspicion.

"...well...yeah," Cloud replied, while scratching the back of his head. "Tifa woke up early to find Aeris' room empty. We both thought that Aeris would be with you,"

The Ex-Turk knitted his brows together. 'Why would you think that?'

"So you haven't seen her at all this morning..." The blond sighed weakly, as his shoulders sagged down in visible despair.

"Not since last night," the gunman admitted softly.

'Damnit,' the blonde cursed mentally, as he swept a gloved hand through his bangs. 'Then where could she be?'

"Did you check the Da Chou?" Vincent offered quietly.

"Yeah...three times" the blond replied sullenly. "Hey...why just the Da Chou?"

"- - - - " The gunman ignored the blonds question, and decided to close off his mind from the outer world, so that he could rely on his other-self to help him find Avalanches missing flower-girl. Vincent let his consciousness delve into his senses of the supernatural; reattaching his being into a world of darkness, where life could only be seen and felt, through the pulsing scent of blood, and heard through the beating heart of another. Even now, Vincent could feel the erratic heartbeat of his leader standing right beside him. He could smell Clouds fearful confusion, radiating off him in waves, in shades of ice and vibrant indigo.

And then the gunman concentrated further, stretching his mind outwards, beyond the borderlines, and restrictions of his human he could see through the walls of the buildings which surrounded him...feeling the souls of the villagers who lived thereHe could sense the familiar coloured imprints of his Avalanche team-mates, clustered together in the Inn, and he could see the tangerine glow of a certain Wutainese ninja dashing around the streets.

However...

No matter where he searched...

He could not see her...

Vincent could not find her essence anywhere. The colours of Aeris' being; those familiar shades of pink entwined with green were nowhere to be seen.

And Vincent knew that the loss of her unique coloured signature could only mean one thing.

"Aeris is no longer in Wutai," Vincent murmured quietly, as he reopened his vision back to the world of the living, blinking and cringing at the sudden bright light which suddenly infiltrated his dark crimson gaze.

"What?" Cloud exclaimed softly, as his blue mako eyes darted upwards to stare at the pale faced gunman. "What did you say?"

The blonds question was answered with a blank stare.

Cloud frowned. "But how...? What would make you say such a thing like that? How would you know?"

"I just know," the gunman answered cryptically, as his dark, woeful gaze stared out towards the end of the street. "I...cannot describe how I know...it's just that

The Ex-Turk exhaled a breath. I cannot sense her essence..."

__

'I cannot smell her blood and vitality..'

The blond blinked, appearing very deeply disturbed by the gunman's mystifying words.

"But where could she have gone?" Cloud replied with sheer befuddlement. "Are you saying that Aeris has been re-kidnapped by Shinra?"

"Only the heavens know," Vincent sighed as he ran his gloved hand through his wild ebony locks. "But it is very unlikely that Shinra is to blame. If Shinra did take Aeris, wouldn't they have tried to come after you Cloud, and your friends?"

The blond frowned, and so the gunman continued.

"You told me once before, that Shinra are after not only after Aeris but your entire Avalanche team. So if that is true, why would they take so much effort to kidnap only one member, when they could have kidnapped the leader of Avalanche at the same time?"

Cloud processed the gunman's wise words, before turning his head away in silent contemplation. "Maybe because they want to use Aeris as a bargaining chip?"

The gunman shook his head. "Shinra doesn't bargain with anyone," Vincent replied indifferently. "It is not their style."

"You're right..." Cloud agreed quietly, as his face tensed in thought. But Hojo might have ringed up a few people to kidnap her The blond pondered to himself, missing the look of pure hell-born fury which flashed in the gunmans eyes, after hearing the name of his arch nemesis so unexpectedly.

"Unless..?" Cloud continued on, as he turned his gaze back towards Vincents face, silently noting how the gunmans face appeared much more coldly withdrawn and reticent than it was before.

"Vincent...do you think...Sephiroth could have been the one who took her?" Cloud voiced uneasily.

The gunman fell silent for a moment.

"...I do not think so," the gunman admitted quietly, whilst shaking his head.

Cloud waited for the Ex-Turk to elaborate.

I would have sensed him. Vincent eventually replied.

Hn. The blond frowned and made no answer.

**__**

"Hey Spiko! Hey Vinnie!"

They both turned their heads at the sound of a certain rather familiar, yet highly annoying voice.

"Yuffie!" Cloud called out to the teen ninja who jogged to his side. "Have you found Aeris?"

"Nop!" The grey eyed teen replied, whilst shaking her head. "But I now know that Aeris is not in Wutai! That's for sure!"

"What?" The blond repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, I've checked everywhere, and nobody has seen her!" Yuffie continued. No-one. Not even the sentries at the main gate of town!

The blond sent a knowing look to towards the silent gunman, who promptly decided to turn his gaze downwards, to stare at the rather uninteresting chips and cracks in the pavement.

"Hey! How can you guys be so calm about all of this?" Yuffie exclaimed, as she turned her gaze from her confused blond leader, and then back to the expressionless, dark haired gunman. "Aeris has gone missing! Most likely kidnapped without us knowing! Cloud! Can't you try and look a little more worried!"

The blond frowned darkly at the teen's words.

But the ninja still wasn't finished, and she ran around her irritated leader, to stare directly at the dark and brooding gunman.

"And what about you Mister Vampire-man? You're **_Girlfriend _**has just gone missing and youre just going to stand there? How can you be so heartless!" Yuffie exclaimed, while she threw her arms in the air for emphasis.

The blonds eyes bugged in surprise, before throwing an incredulous look in the Ex-Turks direction, however Vincent had no interest in the blonds stunned reaction..

__

Yuffie

The gunman sent the ninja a fierce glare, which had the power to chill the ninja's blood. "Aeris is not my _girlfriend_," Vincent stated calmly yet callously, unveiling a hidden threat within the exaggerated pauses he made, between each and every word he spoke.

"Yeah. yeah...Sure... sure, " the cheeky teen said mockingly, while rolling her eyes in obvious sarcasm. "..what ever you say..._lover boy_."

The gunman's eyes flashed a devilish red, however his face remained impassively calm. "I dare you to _repeat _what you have just said."

The teen opened her mouth to reply, however a loud voice from behind silenced her words.

"Yuffie. Stop harassing Vincent," Tifa scolded as she ran up towards her surprised team-mates, with Red and Barret running in tow.

"But why?" Yuffie pouted childishly. "It's fun," she responded cheekily as she pointed over at the gunman's pale face, which seemed a tad more pinker than Tifa remembered it to be the day before.

"Enough," Cloud sighed, as he pressed a hand to his throbbing temple. The whole situation was driving him insane. He couldnt think anymore.

__

Aeris Aeris has left Wutai?

but howdid it happen?

When did it happen?

.she had only been with us for less than a week..

and now she is gone!

.and I

- - - -

I have failed to protect her.

- - - -

Why..?

Someone tell me why

Why am I always so useless?

Why can I never protect the people I care about

Why am I always a failure?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**__**

Because you are a puppet.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The blond flinched, and raised a hand to his throbbing brain. His migraine had reawakened itself again, and it was pulsing so badly that Cloud swore he could hear imaginary voices in his mind. The blond clenched his eyes shut and mentally willed the pain to go away.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**__**

..why?

Why wont the voices disappear!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Cloud, are you alright? Tifa asked worriedly, as she raised a hand to her leaders bare shoulder.

The blond nodded just barely. another head-ache, he answered quietly, clenching his fists at his sides in an effort to control the pain, refusing to open his eyes until the voices had died away.

Damn Cloud, your head-aches are really messing you up. You shud try and find a Doctor so dat he can sort your head out, Barret stated in his usual low pitched bellow.

Yeah Cloud, why dont we look for an apothecary in town. Im sure we can find some place that would sell us some medicine, the brunette stated to her leader, even though it was clear that he was far from listening.

The blond grunted, and shook his head in a negative action.

"No Ill be fine in a minute. Tifa, Barret, Red, what's going on? Why didn't you guys wait for me at the Inn? And wheres Cid?" Cloud stated through gritted teeth, as he rubbed both of his closed eyelids.

"Well Cid went shopping to buy himself some materia, right after commenting how his leader was too cheap-assed to buy him any good stuff...And as for why we are here, well, youll just have to ask Yuffie." Tifa replied, as she gestured towards the lean ninja standing beside her.

"Oh yeah," The teen exclaimed to herself, as she remembered the reason why she had searched for her leader in the first place. "Cloud, the Turks have been spotted in town."

W-what? The blond questioned, as the voices in his head suddenly disappeared into non-existence. "You have seen the Turks?"

Yuffie nodded earnestly. "Yeah."

Cloud snapped his eyes open. "And where did you see them?"

"Um...the last time I checked, it was at the Turtle Pub, about fifteen minutes ago."

The blonds brows forked sharply. "And did you fight them?"

The ninja shook her head. "Nah. I wouldn't waste my breath on a trio of weakli-HEY!" Yuffie cried in alarm as the blond flew past her and sprinted out of the abandoned alleyway, before disappearing down a crowded street.

The remaining members of Avalanche became deathly silent.

"So...do you think we should run after the idiot?" Yuffie asked. "Well, lets do a vote. If you think we should chase after our foolish leader, say Aye-Aghh!"

The ninja teen was forced backwards, as a flash of crimson velvet sped past her vision, in the exact same direction that her blond leader had just taken.

"Hey!" Yuffie cried out in surprise, as she waved her fists in clear aggravation. "That was uncalled for Vinnie!"

"Aw shatup ya foo!" Barret growled loudly, as he pushed the brat out of his way, still obviously bitter over the fact that the ninja princess had stolen all their materia the day before, and still had not been properly punished to his standards. "We need to go after Cloud, and your yapping won't help us get there any faster."

"Lets go Barret," Tifa stated with a firm nod in the burly gunman's direction, before dashing in the same direction that both Vincent and Cloud had just taken. Barret followed on behind her with his long and heavy footsteps, while Red sprinted silently beside his running comrades.

"Yeah, yeah, just forget all about your poor, ninja pal Yuffie," The grey eyed teen whined, as she glared in the direction that her team-mates had disappeared off to.

...and then one minute passed...

...and then another...

...and when Yuffie realised that no-one was going to come back to get her...

"Hey you guys! Wait for me!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

__

'Vincent was wrong. The Turks have kidnapped her again!' Cloud thought angrily as he sped down another deserted alleyway, seeing his destination in sight.

"Aeris...I failed you once...but I won't fail you again." The blond Ex-SOLDIER promised himself as he reached the Turtle Pubs shiny golden doors.

__

'And even if I have to fight the entire army of Shinra...or a hundred Sephiroths... Aeris I will find you...and I will save you. I wont let anyone ever harm you againand that is my final promise'

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Aeris sighed for what seemed the umpteenth time this day.

No matter what she said, or what she tried, Kadaj refused to call her by anything other than 'Mother'. When she forced him to call her Aeris, all he did was chuckle, shake his head and continue calling her Mother. It made her feel rather odd, not to mention rather old. She felt like she should be a wearing a loose, dowdy shirt and skirt combination, with a pair of knitting needles in her hands, and her hair piled up in a tight, greying bun.

It really wasn't a flattering image.

And so the brunette sighed once more, turning her head to the side to observe yet another thing which was slowly starting to rile up her nerves.

She had noticed it countless times before, how Kadaj would unblinkingly stare at her, for what seemed like hours at a time, and even when she caught his eyes with her own, he would simply tilt his head to the side and smile gently back, the exact same way he was doing precisely now.

'Doesn't this guy know that its_ rude_ to stare?' Aeris thought sourly, as she turned her head away to look out at the sea. They had been walking all morning, and Kadaj had decided to let her rest for a bit on the beach.

And so here she was, sitting in the sand, with a silver haired boy ogling her from behind for reasons that the brunette did not even want to think about.

The brunette sighed again, turning her gaze from the clear blue skies to her small white feet.

And that was another thing which immensely bothered her. She had no shoes. She didnt even have her jacket. The only thing she had on her possession was a pink dress she was wearing, and her Mothers materia heirloom. She had no gil on her possession and that made her feel even more troubled and anxious. Add on the fact that she was travelling with a practical stranger that had kidnapped her from her friends, Aeris couldnt help but feel rather unsettled with herself. She was half tempted to ask Kadaj to take her back to Cloud, if only to get her shoes and bag, but she wasnt sure how to approach the subject; and while teen had been anything but unkind to her, Aeris had no idea how the teen would react to such a question. With the way he treated her, she doubted he would say no. but wasnt one hundred percent positive that hed say yes either

Also, the brunette didnt know how Cloud would react to Kadaj, or how Kadaj would react to Cloud.

Hi Cloud, sorry about not being in my room this morning, I was kidnapped by this silver haired boy in my sleep. Oh and yes, I have now decided to go on a journey with him to find the love of my life that had tried to kill me. Tata.

Aeris mentally cringed. She knew that the blond would not let her go so easily, and then there was Vincent.

- - - - - -

The brunette mentally chuckled to herself. Why am I worrying about Vincent? Hed probably understand more than anyone else, and if anything, he would try to help me. Either that or hell say nothing and leave me to my own devices, Aeris mused to herself as she drew her knees to her chest.

Aeris sighed once more.

She could still feel the teens eyes burning into the back of her head.

Mother, would you like anything to eat? Kadaj asked from behind her.

No, Im alright. Aeris answered quietly yet politely, keeping her eyes on the blue horizon in front of her..

I could try and catch some fish for you, the teen continued on.

The brunette sighed into her knees.

Kadajs constant needs to please her was beginning to get more than a little irritating. The teen frequently asked her if she needed anything, or if she was feeling hungry or tired at least every ten minutes or so.

Mother are you cold? I could create a fire for you, to cook the fish on.

Im fine Kadaj, Aeris mumbled.

As you wish Mother, the teen replied, refusing to take his eyes of the dark haired flower girl.

One minute passed.

Then two

Are you thirsty Mother? I have some water in my bag if you want some.

- - - -

Or what about a potion? Or an elixir?

This time, the brunette visibly groaned.

Im fine Kadaj, you fed me less than ten minutes ago, Aeris sighed softly.

Oh alright. Just tell me if you need anything, Kadaj responded pleasantly.

How about a _noose_? The brunette thought to herself, as she turned her head to the side, to glance at the silver haired teen behind her. Kadaj looked like the perfect representation of peaceful repose. He was sitting with on knee propped to his chest, while the other was stretched across the sand. His gloved hands were splayed behind him by his sides, and his long platinum locks, wafted gently in the fresh breeze, caressing his face, and dancing across his vision.

And all the while, Kadaj stared right back at her from beneath his long, pale bangs, with a large and contented smile on his soft and narrow lips.

Aeris couldnt deny it. The teen was beautiful.

even though he is still kind of_ disturbing_and can act a little _freakish _at times..

Especially with the way that Kadaj had grown a liking to holding her hand as they walked, or sitting right behind her when they stopped to rest.

Mother, are you ready to continue on? Kadaj asked, breaking the brunette from her thoughts. She hadnt been aware that she had been staring at the teen for so long, and the realisation really flustered her.

Alright, the brunette consented, as she began to pick herself off the sandy ground. But as soon as she tried to get herself up, Kadaj was instantly beside her, gently drawing her to her feet with all the charm and benevolence of a true gentleman. And while most women would have been wooed by such an act of true gentlemanly kindness.

.it only made the brunette feel like a weak invalid.

Mother, are you sure you can walk? Are you sure you dont want to rest a bit longer? The teen asked while keeping the brunettes hands within his own.

Aeris had finally had enough!

"Stop it! Just stop it! Aeris exclaimed as she threw the teens hands away from her body. Youre driving me insane! Stop treating me like Im some retarded invalid who cannot think or do anything for herself!

Kadajs eyes widened in alarm.

But Mother! I-

And that is another thing, Aeris snapped. Mother this! Mother that! Its getting on my nerves! If you want to call me something, call me Aeris or Miss Gainsborough at the very least!" Aeris scolded.

The teen went suddenly silent.

The brunette sighed. Look. I know that youre trying to help me, but enough is enough! Youre acting like you are a slave to me and its degrading and embarrassing, not only for you, but for myself.

But I want to- Kadaj protested softly.

But I dont want you to grovel at my feet! Aeris cried out, finally releasing all the pent up frustration that she had locked inside of her heart. What are you going to do next? Kiss and lick my boots too?

The teen looked down at the brunettes bare feet, blinking in clear confusion. But Mother, you are not wearing any boots.

Aeris slapped her palm over her head. Ugh. You are missing the point. Look, just stop acting like youre my slave, and just be yourself! Im sure you dont act like this around your friends.

The teen hesitated, thinking back to the way he would treat his other brothers. no Mother.

The brunettes eyes brightened. Exactly! See! Stop thinking like you need to act a certain way around me, and just be yourself.

Kadaj blinked.

__

Be myself

But I dont want Mother to see my faults

But Idont want to displease her

And if showing my true self to her is what will make her happy..

The teens lips moved into a watery smile, before he dipped his head downwards into a formal nod.  
As you wish Mother.

Aeris shook her head at the teens over politeness.

And then the brunette watched as Kadajs eyes widened, staring at something over her left shoulder. Fearing for the worst, Aeris whirled her body around to see a sight that she had never ever seen before.

It was a chocobo

And yet

It was

It was..

It was

So very

Very

VERY

FAT!

There you are! You damn, bastardly bird! Kadaj exclaimed, as he sprinted right past the startled brunette, and lunged upon the monstrously large, yellow feathered abomination. The chocobo kicked and screamed, as it tried to buck the silver haired teen off its feathered back. But Kadaj simply roared with laughter, and retaliated by digging his black gloved fingers into the birds neck, refusing to let go even when the chocobo stopped fighting against him. It did not take long for the bird to collapse to the sandy floor with a loud Kweh of displeasure.

Now who is the master? The teen cheered proudly to himself, as he grinned at his mothers clearly astonished features. Look Mother! Ive finally found our ride!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

****

AUTHORS NOTES

Whew. Now that was a pretty fun chapter to write about. Kadajs character is vastly forming now. Aww, he is so adorable, isnt he? So unlike how he is typically characterised in most fanfics. But I guess that just shows how a plot can dictate and transform a characters personality, into something different, and yet seemingly in character. I wonder how many of you guys have thought how Kadaj would have reacted if he saw Jenova in her true form. Would there be a part of him that would be disgusted by her would he fall for her like Seph did, hook, line and sinker? And that brings me onto another point. The connection between Kadaj and Seph. While Kadaj is known as being an remnant of Seph, it cannot be denied that Kadaj is still his own person. And in TLAA2, I will be testing the boundaries between Kad and Seph, and their differences and their similarities, and their impact on a certain brown haired flower girl. I think there is gonna be a lot of emotional angst, specially on Kadajs behalf. Also Aeris will be sending Kadaj mixed messages due to her own inner thoughts of seeing Seph in him. Aww. In a simplified way, think of the anime Inuyasha and the Kikyo/Inuyasha/Kagome triangle. Imagine Aeris as Inuyasha for a moment, and Seph as Kikyo. Kikyo was the first and original love of Inuyashas life, like Seph was the first to Aer. (That is if we take Zack out of the Equation for a mo. lol). However Kadaj is going to be playing a similar role to Kagome. (Who is admittedly the second choice, the copy of the former of Kikyo.) So while Kagome and Kikyo are clearly different beings, like Seph and Kadaj, Inuyasha will always see Kikyo in Kagome like Aeris will see Seph in Kaddy. Have I made my intentions a little clearer now?

Anywho. Dont forget to review you guys. You know how much us writers love reading about your views and opinions, even if its a short sentence or two. This is such an unusual story, and I would like to know what you guys truly think of itor if any of you guys have any favoured ideas where you would like this story to go

Ja ne

Aerseph4eva

P.S

Any questions or comments? Feel free to notify me by my email. Simply click on my pen-name link at the top of the page.


	9. What the Kweh?

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**4005 words**

**13 pages**

**Chapter 9 'What the...Kweh?'**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Whoa, over twenty reviews in just a couple of days! Thanks you guys! You've really made my day!**

**I recently came back from Warrington today, due to certain family reasons that I really am in no mood to talk about as of yet. However, I did have a fun time with my friends Lexie and Su. Those guys can really make me laugh. Lol. We did have a great time; however, it was a pity that we didn't get to go to Manchester or Liverpool….ah well… maybe next time….or…most likely… next wk. lol.**

**But um yeah, back to this fic. I'm really glad that you guys are warming to my characterisation of Kadaj, and that none of you feel too alienated by his thoughts and motives. I'm still trying to develop his character rather slowly; however, I am finding it increasingly difficult, for while my hands are typing Chapter 8, my brain is thinking about Chapter 30! Ugh. If only I typed as much as I thought… then I'd probably have finished TLAA2 before last Christmas. Lol. **

**I also enjoyed writing about Cloud's trauma with the tourists in the last chappie. That scene just popped into my head when I imagined Cloud trying to race after Vincent's crimson cloak. I simply thought, what would be the most annoying thing that could happen, which would prevent Cloud from finding Vincent?…, and then voila, the idea of Cloud crashing into a poor, young, innocent child suddenly sprang to mind. **

**Hmm. As for my musical muse for this chappie…. Well… Utada Hikaru is the one on top. Lol, and then HYDE and Malice Mizer. So yeah. My musical muse is feeling very Japo today. Lol. (Not that liking Japo music is a bad thing or anything…)**

**Ahem...**

**Now about this chapter…**

**Hmm, I think the Kadaj fans will end up liking CH9. Let us just say that he truly will rule over this chapter. Lol. Oh and you guys will find out a little secret about a certain 'fat' chocobo. Be ready to get your hankies out… since the truth will be tearfully shocking.**

**But ah..**

**Enough of my ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"There you are! You damn, bastardly bird!" Kadaj exclaimed, as he sprinted right past the startled brunette, and lunged upon the monstrously large, yellow-feathered abomination. The chocobo kicked and screamed, as it tried to buck the silver haired teen off its large feathered back. However, Kadaj simply roared with laughter, and retaliated by digging his black gloved fingers into the bird's neck, refusing to let go even when the chocobo stopped fighting against him. It did not take long for the bird to collapse to the sandy floor with a faint 'Kweh' of displeasure.

"Now who is the master?" The teen cheered proudly to himself, as he grinned at his mother's clearly astonished features. "Look Mother! I've finally found our ride!"

Aeris blinked rapidly in surprise, staring at the huge and bulky mass of yellow feathers, and then back at the lean teen, who was beaming brightly on top of the oversized bird.

"Now we can finally go to the Reunion!" Kadaj crowed cheerfully, as he forced the bird to its feet with a violent tug on his brown leather reins, followed by a rather cruel kick to the chocobo's yellow hide. The chocobo warked in pain, before unsteadily waddling across the beach, towards the speechless flower girl.

Aeris frowned, saying nothing as she looked from the yellow-feathered chocobo, and then back at the widely grinning teen.

'_The poor thing looks so hurt and tired…'_

'_And he's panting so badly…'_

"Kadaj…" Aeris began softly, as her dark green eyes turned to stare into the chocobo's large and frightened pupils. "Are you sure this chocobo can handle the weight of two riders?"

"Who knows?" Kadaj sighed indifferently, as he jerked the chocobo's reins to a sudden halt. "If it can't, then I'll certainly know what we'll be having for dinner tonight," he added rather smugly, as he turned his attention towards the chocobo's head, and playfully licked his lips with cruel amusement. "Mmmm, Fried chocobo… Sounds tasty…"

'….That wasn't a very nice thing to say…' Aeris thought to herself, as her green eyes began to waver at the sight of the sad and porky chocobo. The bird did not deserve to hear such cruel comments, and Aeris did not like the way Kadaj could so easily insult the poor creature, just because it could not measure up to the teen's ideal image of pure perfection. However, Aeris had no time to ponder about the teen's immeasurable cruelty, for before she knew it, she was suddenly plucked from the ground, and seated on the yellow bird right behind the silver haired teen.

"Okay Mother, just put your arms around my waist," Kadaj commanded kindly, as he removed his own hands from the flower-girl's body, and swivelled around so that he was facing the reins. Aeris frowned to herself. She was visibly irritated by the teen's audacity and his unnecessary cruelty. Nevertheless, she followed the teen's words, and lightly wrapped her arms around the teen's lean waist, trying not to focus on how hard Kadaj's sculpted stomach muscles felt beneath his dark leather suit…or how close his body was to her own.

Aeris closed her eyes, and gave a silent prayer to the heavens.

And then they were off.

Aeris snapped her eyes open, and she tightened her grip around Kadaj's waist when the bird ran at a speed, which defied its size and nature. The colours of the land and the sky merged into a flowing blur of gold and blue, and Aeris cringed painfully as the rushing wind made her eyes water, and the flashing scenery caused her face to go a little green with nausea. The brunette dipped her head against the teen's back, trying to reduce her feelings of sickness, even though it felt a little humiliating to have her body pressed so close to the silver haired boy. For no matter what Kadaj had told her, and what he promised her…, Kadaj was still a _stranger_… a stranger that had kidnapped her from the safety of her friends….and who knew much more than he had let on.

The brunette silently groaned.

'_..What have I gotten myself into?'_

"Are you alright Mother?" Kadaj asked in mild bemusement, while keeping his eyes in the direction he was riding.

"I'm fine," Aeris mumbled, as she reluctantly moved her head from the teen's back, and lifted her eyes over the teen's shoulder.

'_What! Why are we heading towards the sea?'_

The brunette's eyes widened in undeniable surprise. While Aeris admittedly knew that she knew very little about the true capabilities of a chocobo, Aeris was more than sure that a _yellow_ chocobo did not have the ability to cross the sea. She had read about the darkly feathered mountain chocobos that had the power to run up the highest mountains, and the sapphire hued river birds, which could cross any shallow lake or shoreline.

'_But a yellow cannot climb a mountain, nor can it ride across the sea.'_

Nevertheless, Kadaj was forcing the fatty bird to pick up even more speed towards the end of the shoreline.

"Kadaj! What are you doing!" Aeris exclaimed frightfully, as her fingers tightly clamped down on the teen's flat stomach muscles, jolting the rider in front of her.

"What?" Kadaj gasped in surprise, nearly losing his balance over his ride. It was only due to his inhuman reflexes that he was able to maintain control of the bird. "I'm taking you to the Reunion Mother."

"But you're charging us straight into the sea!" Aeris shouted in his ear. "And what I know is that a YELLOW chocobo cannot walk on water!"

Kadaj blinked, looking confused for just a few seconds...

Then suddenly, the most wickedly cruel smile swept across the teen's handsome face.

"They can't walk of water? Are you sure?" Kadaj chuckled to himself, as he used the reins to increase their speed. "Ah well…I guess we'll gonna find out now."

The brunette's face whitened in horror. She had a mortal fear of the water ever since that day in Costa Del Sol, and Aeris really didn't know whether the teen was even joking. "Kadaj! Stop it! Let me off this right chocobo now!"

The teen was outright laughing now. "Don't worry Mother, the worst thing that can happen… is that we'll both **drown!**" Kadaj cackled to himself, as he shook his head in clear delight while surging the chocobo even further.

The chocobo was rapidly running out of land.

"Kadaj! Stop it! This is not funny!" Aeris said, nearly on the urge of hysteria.

"Mother, Get ready to become very, _very_ _**wet**_," Kadaj warned in a low, syrupy, almost seductive tone, while his narrowed eyes glinted with malice amusement.

Aeris dug her face even further into the teen's leather clothed back, and screwed her eyes shut, and for one split moment, Aeris imagined that she was holding 'him' in her arms.

_'I knew it. I this this kid was crazy! Why oh why did I agree to follow him?'_

Aeris waited for the splash to hit her. She waited for the icy coolness to blind her vision, and its salty taste to fill her protesting lungs.

She waited...

And waited..

And..

'Huh?'

The brunette opened her eyes, nearly reeling off the back of the chocobo with what she saw.

The chocobo.

The fattest chocobo she had ever seen...

The same fat chocobo that both she and Kadaj were riding on...

Was running across the water!

Aeris could not believe her eyes. They were crossing the sea on a **yellow** chocobo! It was an impossible phenomenon. She could not understand what Kadaj could have done to make sure a thing happen. It was undeniably bewildering as it was terrifying. The brunette turned her gaze behind her to stare at the vastly fading shoreline, then back around to stare unblinkingly into the endless blue.

"Why…How?" Aeris squeaked in clear disbelief. "How can a yellow chocobo ride on water?"

The silver haired teen silently laughed to himself, and Aeris couldn't help but feel each mirthful tremor leap from his the youth's stomach and into her own. "Who said that this is just an ordinary 'yellow chocobo'?" Kadaj answered smugly.

The brunette was too confused to speak.

"There is one other type of chocobo that can ride across any form of land, ice and sea," Kadaj continued on, as the sea breeze caused his thin silver locks to dance through the salty air. "I'll give you a hint Mother. The colour would clash so awfully with my 'silver' hair."

The brunette blinked. "Huh?"

Kadaj sighed. "Okay. Maybe I made that clue a bit too difficult. Mother, what is the opposite to Silver?"

Aeris frowned. "Um...Gold...?"

The brunette fell silent for a moment in contemplation.

And then her eyes bugged out in undeniable realisation.

Aeris gasped. "You can't mean …that this is… a legendary GOLD Chocobo?" Aeris exclaimed in pure shock. She had only heard of it in storybooks that her mother Elmyra had often read to her when she was but a child. She had never thought once that the Golden chocobo of myths could have ever been real. The brunette gazed down at the chocobo's brightly coloured hide, and even Aeris had to admit that there was a ethereally tinge of gold across the bird's long and feathery wings.

"Something like that," Kadaj chuckled lightly, as he forced the bird to go even faster by repeatedly kicking it, until it reached its full potential.

"K-W-A-R-K!" The chocobo screamed, as it tossed its head from side to side in pure agony, trying once again to throw Kadaj and Aeris off its large back.

"Oh no you don't!" Kadaj laughed wickedly, as he fisted his left hand around the chocobo's fat neck, while keeping his other on the reins. "You're going to take us to the Reunion, even if I have to turn your fat carcass into a makeshift boat to get there!" The teen threatened, as he violently dug his leather booted heels into the side of the fat breasted bird.

"KWEEK! KWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

"Kadaj, stop it," Aeris commanded desperately, unable to bear to hear the birds sobbing cries of pain. "You're hurting him!" She cried, while tightening her arms around the teen's lean waist.

"But Mother! This is the only way to get this fat ass bird to move," Kadaj protested lightly, as he gave the chocobo another firm kick to its sides.

"But you don't have to be so rough with him." Aeris countered fiercely.

The teen shrugged. "But why would that matter Mother? Chocobo's are so easily expendable."

The brunette's eyes darkened in fierce disagreement.

"And besides if this one ends up dying on us, we can always get a new one. It's not like this dumb bird has anything special going for it. I bet it wouldn't even taste nice since the meat would be far too fatty. So there really is no loss if it dies now or it dies later…right Mother?"

Aeris had finally heard enough.

Raising her eyes towards the sea, Aeris noticed a faint slip of green appearing on the far right. "Kadaj, get us back on land," the brunette commanded quietly, not even bothering to hide her previously unhidden anger.

The silver haired teen blinked. "Huh? But Mother, the Reunion is not in that direction..." Kadaj began slowly.

"I don't care Kadaj! Now do as I say and get us both back on land RIGHT NOW!" Aeris all but screamed.

The teen's eyes widened in pure surprise, and Aeris felt the youth's entire body freeze in her arms.

"A-as you wish Mother…" Kadaj quivered uneasily; quickly complying with the brunette's wishes.

When Kadaj finally reached the shore, Aeris dropped herself off the weary bird, and began inspecting it from all sides, while Kadaj simply stared down at the brunette in pure bewilderment.

The teen's eyes narrowed in pure confusion. "Mother? What are you-?"

"Shut up!" Aeris snapped, as she knelt down to stroke the chocobo's bruised sides with clear sympathy. The chocobo's shiny, feathered body was slick with a heavy wetness, as if it had been sweating bucketfuls. "This chocobo is really sick," the brunette stated irritably, while gesturing to the bird's wet and matted feathers. "And you Kadaj have been adding to its discomfort!"

Kadaj blinked, unable to comprehend why his 'Mother' was acting so overly emotional about something, which he considered a rather insignificant and pathetic specimen of life. She had even shouted at him. The teen's brows furrowed in confused nervousness, and his green tinted eyes flashed with pure worry.

'…_.huh…why….why is Mother acting this way… it's just…''_

"…It's just a chocobo," the teen scoffed weakly.

"It's a living thing!" Aeris retorted angrily, as she turned her head to glare at the now startled silver haired teen, who nearly fell off the chocobo in surprise at the sight of her angry face. "Just because it's not human, or Cetra or whatever, that doesn't mean you have the right to kick it to death! Would you like it if I started kicking you!"

The teen turned his head downwards, hiding his entire face within his long, silvery sheath of hair. '…_If it made you happy Mother…I would gladly let you kick me whenever you wished to…' _Kadaj silently murmured to himself, as his narrow, catlike gaze fell upon the dark reins that he held inside his tightly clenched fists.

"And how would you feel, if someone much stronger than you enjoyed kicking you, even though they knew you were unable to fight back?" Aeris continued on, as she folded her arms and turned her dark emerald gaze upon the silver haired fighter.

Kadaj flinched, and made no answer.

"You wouldn't _**like**_ it, would you?" Aeris questioned softly, as she tilted her head to the side.

Kadaj bit his lip to refrain from answering.

'…_.if it would make you happy Mother… then I would __**love**__ it…'_

Aeris shook her head. The teen had gone silent; however, she was unsure whether he was even listening to her. Kadaj was not even looking at her, whether through reasons of shame, or calm indifference, the brunette did not know. Nevertheless, the latter thought did irritate her.

"Now Kadaj, get off the chocobo so that the poor guy get some rest!" Aeris demanded, as she pointed to the sandy beach beneath them. The teen nodded, and obediently slid off the side of the oversized chocobo, all the while keeping his head submissively to the ground.

'_Mother…please…. __**please**__… don't shout at me… just tell me what to do and I will do it…tell me what to say…and I will say it…please I'll do anything for you…I …I… only want to be the one to make you happy…so that I will become your one and only __**favourite**__…'_

Kadaj turned his head to the side, and clenched his jaw shut, trying desperately to appear like the emotionless sentinel his Mother would have wanted him to be.

_One second passed._

_Then two…_

_And on the third second._

_The dam crumbled._

_And the emotions came._

Then before Aeris realised what was happening, Kadaj released the chocobo's reins and rushed towards the shocked brunette, before dramatically dropping himself to his knees right in front of her. Grasping the flower girl's hands in both of his own, Kadaj raised his head upwards to reveal, eyes stained with wet and tearful emotions.

"Mother please… Tell me what I need to do in order to gain your forgiveness?" He begged desperately, while staring at the bewildered brunette from between his long and pale bangs of silver. "Please, tell me what I have done wrong…"

0o0o0o0o0o0

Aeris stared…

And _stared_…

Trying to make sense of what she had just witnessed.

Kadaj was on his knees before her…begging for _forgiveness_, and while Aeris believed that what the teen had done to the chocobo was so mightily wrong and cruel, the brunette couldn't help but feel more than a little bewildered with how Kadaj had became so overly emotionally upset by her words. He appeared almost pitiful, and Aeris felt even more baffled with how her heart wanted to reach out and console the begging, pale haired teen, even though she had just seen him act so maliciously cruel to a chocobo.

'_I guess it's because I keep on thinking about that __**connection**__…'_

'…_about how he looks so much like __**him**__…'_

'…_and yet…'_

'_They could never be more different…'_

"Look Kadaj," Aeris began softly, as she tried to tug the silver haired teen to his feet, to no avail. He refused to stand up, and Aeris could feel the strained exertion of his strength through the stretched knuckles of his gloved hands. "….I don't know what kind of upbringing you have had, or what you have been told or taught, but…"

The brunette sighed deeply. "…I believe that no-one has the right to hurt another living thing, and I for one refuse to stand by and watch you hurt that poor chocobo!"

"So does that mean you can never forgive me Mother…?" Kadaj whispered brokenly, and Aeris was alarmed to see a single tear trickle out of the teen's left eye duct, before slowly making a path down his pale alabaster cheek.

The brunette blinked in pure bafflement. "Uh.. N-no… well… yes… But…_" _Aeris began brokenly, starting to feel rather emotional herself, with the way Kadaj was staring at her with so much despair and shattered hope. "Kadaj_…" _Aeris sighed, as she felt her own legs give way, so that she was now kneeing, just like Kadaj on the sandy floor. _"Do you understand why I'm angry at you?"_

The silver haired teen nodded. "It was because I did something that was unforgivable in your eyes Mother. I made you unhappy Mother.. I have sinned."

Aeris felt her own face crumple with pained emotion. Kadaj just looked so sad, and miserable, and Aeris felt her own vision waver with emotive empathy. "Kadaj…" Aeris breathed quietly. "I will forgive you…but only if you promise to never harm an innocent creature like this chocobo ever again."

The teen's eyes glimmered in visible surprise. "You... You…" Kadaj began feebly, as he paused one moment to swallow a faltering breath. "You'd forgive me Mother? Despite my sins? Despite making you angry?"

"Yes," Aeris responded gently, as her lips tilted up slightly. "But you have to stick to your promise of never hurting any innocent creature, whether it's a moogle or a chocobo. Can you do that for me?"

The teen nodded earnestly. "I'll do anything for you _**Mother**_."

The brunette's brows frowned at the youth's words, however her mouth was still smiling.

'…I think I'm making progress with this boy… if only he would stop calling me his Mother as much…' Aeris silently mused to herself, as she stared at the teen who was now smiling at her through his silky hair.

'…_Honestly, I have no idea how Kadaj can even see anything through all that hair… Isn't that hair style irritating his right eye?'_

"**KWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK! KWEH! KWEH! KWAAAAARRK!"**

Both Aeris and Kadaj moved away from their silent pondering of one another, to turn their gazes towards the large golden tinted bird who was crying its poor, birdie lungs out.

Aeris darted towards the large chocobo's side; however, the bird squawked and shuffled backwards across the sand in visible fear.

"Hey, hey! What's wrong big guy?" Aeris called out softly, as she drew her hand outwards in an attempt to timidly pet the utterly frightened bird. "It's okay. Nothing is going to hurt you now. I promise," she added gently.

Kadaj frowned. He still could not understand why his Mother could care about such a fat, stupid bird. It was not as if the chocobo was anything special or unique in any way. Either way, the teen knew that in order to redeem himself in the eyes of his Mother, he would need to do something that she would greatly approve of.

'_And I know just the thing…'_

The teen quickly drew out his curative materia from his dark bag, and without even informing the brunette of his actions, Kadaj quickly summoned the _weakest_ cure spell that he could manage on the frightened bird.

'…well I'm not going to use my _best_ magic on a creature that I believe is so _worthless_ of my awesome power…' Kadaj mused to himself, as he watched the faint green mist settle around the large, golden-breasted bird, before dissipating inside its humongous body.

"Huh?" Aeris voiced in mild bafflement, as she turned her head from the wide-eyed chocobo and towards the dark cloaked teen. "Did you just use a cure spell on the chocobo?"

Kadaj nodded, which caused the brunette's lips to curl upwards slightly in clear appreciation.

"WARK! WAK! WAK! WAK! KWAAAAAARK!"

The brunette whirled her attention back on the chocobo, and this time, both the flowergirl and Kadaj openly gasped and gaped in surprise.

It appeared that the chocobo had lost its mind!

The chocobo was repeatedly warking, as if it was suffering the most intensive of pains; its unstable cries only served to worry the brunette even more. Its tongue was lolled out to one side, and its icy blue eyes were partly dilated with emotional trauma. It was scratching its face across the grassy ground, twisting its head from left to right in unbearable agony.

Then suddenly, the bird lifted its fat backside up into the air, and let out a loud, keening cry.

The brunette's face blanched, as realisation slowly dawned upon her.

_'This chocobo isn't fat...it's __**pregnant**__!'_

"And I…I…I think she's giving birth..._**right now**_!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Author's notes**

**Wow, what a cliffhanger. How really cruel of me! Lol. Now this is a really tiny chapter. But I thought it worked out rather well. Hmmm, so that's why the chocobo is so fat, lol…and as for Kadaj… I hope his personality is coming out a little better in this chapter. I don't want you guys to think that my Kadaj is gonna be weak and pitiful softy. Remember, his love and kindness is for his mother…and ****only**** his mother. Kadaj is still the same dangerously, wicked and cruel hearted teen that we all know and love from AC, hence his actions on a certain pregnant chocobo. I don't know if I have said this before, but I believe Kadaj to be a construction of opposites, who could easily be as wicked, as easily as he could be nice. Yet I still disagree with the idea that he is insane. He may be a little unstable with controlling his emotions and inner thoughts… but he is certainly isn't off his rocker… like a certain other, long silver haired bishie that we all know and love. lol. **

**Poor little emo...awww..**

**Lol**

**But like the usual, plz do not forget to review, and I'll try my utmost best to update before I start Uni.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**Any questions or comments…?**

**Feel free to notify me by email. Simply click on my pen-name on the top of the page. lol. Have a nice day. lol**


	10. Kwee Kwee

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**7381 words**

**19 pages**

**Chapter 10 'Kwee-Kwee'**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Hey you guys. Sorry for not uploading sooner. Life and Uni has kept me rather busy….sigh…and so has Dirge of Cerberus. Lol. Nevertheless, enough about me, how have you guys been doing? I hope you have all been well.**

**Hmm. Oh this is another thing. I know I have asked this before, but I think it was quite a while back. However, I'm gonna ask again. Are there any Aer/Seph, Final Fantasy 7, KH fans on Myspace? I would love to know, as I would feel more than welcomed, if u guys messaged me, if only to just say hi or howdy. Lol. For you see, the majority of ppl I know on that site aren't overly keen with fan-fiction, let alone with odd couplings such as Aeris and Sephy-kins, so it would be nice to know a fellow reader to chat about random ff crap. Lol. For a link to my Myspace, simply click on my pen-name and then my homepage, and you'll be directed to it. x**

**But um yeah, back to this fic.**

**As for my musical muse. It is completely Evanescence this time. Blame her album, the 'Open door.' It is truly addicting. Especially her version of 'Lacrimosa'. I simply love it. Oh and 'Sweet Sacrifice', 'Call me when your Sober' and 'Cloud Nine' and …ah! Let us just say that all her works are so very inspirational before I begin to reel off the whole entire OD album. Lol.**

**Now enough of my rambling…**

**And on with the fic:**

_The brunette's face blanched, as realisation slowly dawned upon her._

_'This chocobo isn't fat...it's __**pregnant**__?!'_

"_And I…I…I think she's giving birth...__**right now**__!"_

0o0o0o0o0o0

_**Turtle Inn Pub. Avalanche vs. the Turks**_

0o0o0o0o0o0

"I'm telling you for the last time, we haven't got her man!" Reno sighed, turning his calm ice blue eyes upon a visibly angered, blond haired Ex-SOLDIER.

"And why should I believe you?" Cloud countered fiercely, as he eyed each blue suited Turk in turn, who were all seated at the same bar table riddled with half empty glasses of beer and other unnameable beverages.

"Psssh, that's your loss then, not ours," Reno answered with a dismissive wave; much more interested in the cigarette that he cradled between his fingers, and the amber liquid, which stared back at him from within his glass. "So stop bothering us and go grab yourself a drink. You really look like you need one pal."

The blond's mako eyes narrowed into a callous glare, and his dark gloved fingers curled around the base hilt of his sword that was sheathed behind his back. Cloud was more than ready to cleave the said Turk's scrawny hide in two.

But…

The blond slid his eyes towards the barman, whose small, coal like eyes watched his every movement, like a tiger who had caught sight of his prey and was only waiting for the right moment to pounce. He then moved his gaze to the other individuals inside the bar, some who had hunched themselves up in the tightest corners of the pub, while a couple of battled hardened civilians stared right back at him, as if he was their greatest source of entertainment they had ever seen in years. In all honesty, the Turtle Inn bar was considerably lacking in customers, and for that, Cloud was partly grateful, for if a fight did break out, then the blond knew that he would have the space to swing his sword without the worry of severing the head of a poor innocent sitting right behind him.

"Cloud!"

The blond whipped his head to the side as Tifa crashed through the doors of the pub, her ample chest heaving, and her hair splayed out in every awkward direction. Barret came in puffing behind her, followed by Red, a swearing pilot, a boisterous ninja and then finally the darkly mysterious, crimson-eyed gunman known as Vincent Valentine.

"So have you found her?" Tifa panted, while eyeing the pub around her with a slight frown. Having worked as a barmaid for many years, the brunette could tell when a place was having good business. However, the ambiance of the Turtle Inn, left much to be desired.

Cloud did not respond to the brunette's question, and instead turned away from his stalwartly companions and fixed his cold mako eyes upon Reno.

"Where is she?" His voice left no room for argument. However, it didn't prevent a certain red haired Turk from laughing his head off.

"As if we would tell you, even if we did know!" Reno guffawed loudly.

Tifa had tensed her fists, while Barret tried his best not to raise him gunarm and blast a hole through the arrogant Turk's forehead.

Cloud mentally growled to himself. Reno was grinning wildly at him and Rude was sipping his drink, seeming without a care in the world. However the unfamiliar faced, blonde haired Turk, kept on sneaking uneasy looks towards Vincent and Barret, unable to keep a stern face like her other blue suited associates sitting right beside her.

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows in clear agitation. He did not know what game the Turks were playing, but it was seriously ticking him off. He was really considering about drawing his sword, and as if Barret had read his thoughts, the burly gunman raised his gigantic gun-arm into the air, causing the barman at the counter to clench his whitened fingers under the table, where he kept his own weapon of defence.

"Come on Cloud, we can take them!" Barret growled while eyeing Rude; who had stopped drinking, to stare at Avalanche with his dark and intelligent eyes, which were hidden beneath his black narrow shades.

"Yeah, I'm right beside you Cloud," Tifa added softly from his side, raising her red dukes to her chest. Cid added his own vocal comments while Red and Vincent made no response at all.

"Yeah! Me too! Me too! I'm ready to go kick some Turk-key ass!" Yuffie chipped in from behind, winning three rather threatening glares from the blue suits sitting at the table.

Reno shook his head indifferently before slowly moving his long boned fingers inside his blue jacket, withdrawing a packet of cigarettes and a lighter that was carved with various tribal scrawls and elaborate crimson curls.

"Feh…" The red headed Turk sighed, turning his head down to focus on the task of lighting his cigarette. "Look Cloud, we just haven't seen her, kay." Reno stated carelessly, as he raised the his cigarette to his mouth, lighting the end, before taking a slow long drag, and exhaling the dark toxic fumes into the air with an unconcealed satisfied sigh of pure pleasure. "Just think about it you guys…. Even if we did have Aeris, don't you think we would have long ago disappeared from this shabby backwater village, and headed back to Shinra?" the redhead questioned with a slurred smile as he moved the lit cigarette so that it lay nestled between the knuckles of his middle and index finger.

"Hey! Don't make fun of my town!" Yuffie threatened hotly, whilst raising her gloved fists at the arrogant redhead.

Reno merely chuckled, and blew a cloud of smoke towards the angry teen's direction, smirking widely when the ninja started a sudden bout of coughing.

"So if you haven't got Aeris, why are you here?" Tifa asked sternly, as her dark, thin eyebrows knitted in clear distrust.

"We're off duty." Rude answered quietly.

"Yeah! In addition, we like the drinks here! They're cheap and affordable without having to taste like chocobo piss!" Reno cheered while raising his beer class to everyone in sight. "In addition, they also come with these cute umbrella thingies that I so adore," the Turk continued on as he removed the mini parasol from his drink and inspected the tacky decoration, nearly cutting himself on the sharp wooden tip. "So why don't you come and sit with us Cloud, and chat about things." Reno offered loudly, while patting an empty seat beside him, pausing for one moment, to give a rather mischievous wink toward a certain Zangan fighting brunette.

"Reno!" Rude and Elena chorused together in clear agitation.

"I'll pass." The blond swordsman replied rather bluntly much to the relief of a certain blonde haired Turk and his fellow team-mates.

"Awww, such a pity," Reno sighed while raising his glass to take another large sip of his cold and bitter beverage. "It could've been fun!" he chuckled much to the chagrin of every member of Avalanche that was present. "Ah well, good luck with finding Aeris!" He cheered proudly, causing both Elena and Rude to groan in irritation beside the slightly intoxicated red head.

Cloud has seen enough. Not even bothering to hide his irritation, the swordsman pivoted on his foot and left the bar, leaving the rest of his team standing rather clueless inside the rather lonely bar.

"Cloud!" Tifa called out anxiously ready to follow her blond haired leader.

However...

The red head's ice blue eyes seductively slid from the door of Cloud's hasty exit, and turned towards a certain brown haired beauty. "Hey Tifa hunny, why don't you stay with me for a little while. There is always room for one more." He suggested rather lasciviously, wriggling his left eyebrow in an indecisively unsexy manner, which managed to make him appear even more repulsive to the brunette's dark eyed gaze.

The brunette wrinkled her nose in clear disgust.

"Thanks but no thanks Reno," Tifa answered coolly before turning and leaving the bar as swiftly as her leader had done.

"Damn. Pity she's Cloud's girl. I bet she would have been really fun," Reno sighed, as his lips curled up into a dirty smile.

"Hey! Don't talk about Tifa that way, you dirty piece of scum!" Barret bellowed, as he arched his gun-arm at the Turk's head.

"And why not? I bet you would want a piece of her too if Cloudy wasn't in the picture," Reno answered cockily causing Barret to see red.

"Why you-you! That's it! Today, you're going down Turk! I'm gonna get my revenge for what you did to Biggs, Wedge and Jessie, and for everyone else you crushed on the seventh plate! Your blood is going to smear this floor and I'll-"

"Barret-"

Barret paused his raging ranting, to turn his dark eyes upon a certain crimson cloaked gunman "Wha did 'ja say Vincent?"

"-put your gun down," Vincent voiced quietly, as his crimson eyes remained fixed on the barman, who was now holding a rather impressive AR15 machine gun, with the barrel cocked in Avalanche's direction.

"But Vincent! The Turks are 'da enemy an' dey are helping to destroy the planet! Evil murdering bastards! There is nothing good about them, nothing whatsoever! " Barret bellowed, not even noticing the barman at all, even though Red, Cid and Yuffie had gone silent at the behemoth size weapon directed at their heads.

The crimson eyed gunman closed his eyes briefly at the burly gunman's words. "That may be so," Vincent answered quietly, as his mind tortured him of memories stained with blood. Of memories where he stood still and did nothing. Of memories where he could hear his beloved screaming and yet he could not voice anything. He remembered all the times he was so weak and useless, and the times where he was pathetic and utterly defenceless.

And then he opened his eyes, and saw the gun in the barman's hands.

"But…while their past sins may incur us to act with wrath, we have to remember that the spilling of blood simply begets more blood, and in the end, the stains of our bloody vengeance will merely be passed down into the hands of another…"

The burly gunman blinked, totally baffled by the Ex-Turk's cryptic words.

"What ya saying foo'? Speak the same English like the rest of us!" Barret called out, causing Vincent to shake his head.

"Um, I think what Vincent is trying to say Barret, is that there is someone pointing a gun right behind you!" Yuffie yelped.

"Wha?!"

The burly gunman turned around in surprise.

The barman moved his finger towards the trigger.

"Don't." Vincent threatened quietly, as he held his own gun and aimed it towards the now white faced barman, who after seeing the pure demonic crimson of the Ex-Turks eyes, realised that if tried to shoot, his life would be over before his finger even dared to pull the trigger.

"G-get out. You're al-all banned," The barman warbled fearfully as he used his hefty gun to point towards the door. "I-I-I give you t-w-wenty s-s-seconds to get o-o-out of my pub."

The Ex-Turk nodded in understanding and placed his gun back inside his holster, making his way to leave.

"But what about me?! I'm the Wutai Princess! Yuffie Kisaragi! You can't ban me!" The grey eyed teen exclaimed, stomping her feet and creating a general ruckus.

"Fine. Everyone but you," the barman amended weakly, looking every Avalanche member in the eye except a certain crimson cloaked individual.

Barret looked ready to voice something, but all it took was one cold look from the taciturn Ex-Turk to silence his oncoming words. Red merely padded towards the door, and Cid made his way over to the entrance, shortly pausing by the cigarette vending machine to draw out his Lucky 7 favourites before leaving the building.

"Ha! See you guys later!" Reno called out, waving widely at all of Avalanche's retreating backs.

Barret growled to himself, yet reigned in his temper. If there was something that he hated more than the former President of Shinra, then it was the people who worked under him.

"Yuffie. Come on, lets go," Vincent muttered quietly, waiting beside the door as the said ninja continued to harass the barman.

"Awww, no fair. Just when things were getting interesting," Yuffie whined as she reluctantly made her way to the pub entrance, swinging her large shuriken at her side as if it was an oversized Frisbee. "Awww, Vincent, are you sure you ever were a Turk? You act too much like a softy toffee to get any work done, let alone to ever harm anyone!"

The dark gunman's eyes narrowed in warning, and Reno, Rude and Elena all instantly sobered up by the young ninja's words.

"Yuffie," Vincent said darkly.

"Hey! Hey! I'm going! I'm going! Sheesh, can't anyone take a joke nowadays?!" Yuffie muttered to herself, shaking her head and leaving the pub with all eyes watching her from behind.

Vincent sighed, and made a dramatic turn to leave, causing his voluptuously crimson cloak to fly up into the air. He was just about to leave when…

"Hey, you. Yes, you in the red."

The dark Ex-Turk paused in his tracks. He did not need to turn around to know who had called out to him.

"You look like you have a rather interesting story to tell…" Reno continued on, as he leaned forward in his chair, his icy blue eyes blazed wide in pure fascination. "What's your name again? Vincent what?"

Vincent paused for but a moment, considering the purpose of answering such an inane question, before slowly tilting his head to the side to send a rather cold glance at the crimson haired Turk.

"Why do you wish to know?" The dark gunman voiced slowly yet quietly, his face remaining coldly passive all the while.

Reno smiled, revealing a clean upper row of brightly whitened teeth.

"Because…. I want to be friends with all of Cloud's friends!" the roguish red head crowed, cackling to himself as if he had said something insanely hilarious.

Rude face palmed his head into his hands, while Elena looked upwards to the heavens in prayer for her saviour Tseng to come and rescue her from Reno's inane stupidity.

The gunman knitted his dark brows, and his lower lip tightened in consternation.

"I am no-ones friend," Vincent answered softly.

"Ah, so you the loner type eh?" Reno voiced, as he drew his fingers inside his jacket.

Vincent didn't even bother to respond.

"I no longer associate with anyone within Shinra," Vincent remarked indifferently, before pivoting on his way, and shutting the entrance door behind him.

"Unsociable bastard," Reno snorted, before drowning another glass and belching loudly, much to the misfortune of his fellow blue suited associates.

Elena put her head in her hands. The life of a Turk was getting too much of her.

'_Tseng, where are you…?'_

"Hey Elena."

"What?" She grumbled in her hands refusing to look at her red haired associate.

"Be a doll and buy me a pack from the vendor, oh and another bottle of um…what's that umbrella drink called again?"

The blonde Turk's face frowned in her arms. "Go get them yourself Reno,"

"Hey hey hey! Who's your superior here?" The red Turk growled in warning, clenching both of his fists on the table.

"Not you. That's for sure," the blonde replied rather dismissively. She turned her warm caramel toned eyes upon her most amiable companion.

"And speaking of my superior, I'm going to look for him, right now. Rude, call me when Reno stops acting like such an uncivilised drunken idiot."

"Hey I resent that!" Reno spat out with a cruel glare, before laughing his guts out soon after.

The bald Turk nodded slowly, as his serious dark eyes watched the fair haired woman stand from their table. His gaze then slowly turned back to his rather plastered friend, who was currently licking a beer matt coaster with unbridled enjoyment. Rude sweat dropped and turned his head away, too ashamed and embarrassed to look at his drunken partner any longer.

'…._Reno_…'

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Wutai Streets- AVALANCHE**

0o0o0o0o0o0

The team-mates of Avalanche eventually found their leader sitting beneath a cherry blossom tree that had lost all of its colour and beauty. His legs were parted, and his face and hands were concentrated on the dull and grassless earth beneath him. However, what was indeed strange, was how the swordsman's broad sword was lying unsheathed and on its side, quite some distance from the blond, as if someone had thrown his sword away, and the owner had no care or interest in claiming it back.

"Cloud?" Tifa voiced tentatively, as she began to move slowly towards her head drooped leader. The rest of her team stood uneasily behind her, watching their leader with mixed thoughts and feelings.

"Cloud?" The brunette repeated, when the blond gave her no answer.

"She's not here.." Cloud voiced quietly. "She's gone…and I have failed her…. again…"

"It wasn't your fault," Tifa began softly as she knelt by her leader, who refused to raise his head to even attempt to look at her. "No-one could have expected such a thing to happen."

The blond's face turned thoughtful, before falling further into a disheartened frown.

The swordsman sighed, as he raked a gloved finger through his bedraggled blond strands. "But it isn't only that Tifa. It's just…" The blond paused, his words falling silent as he remembered the sorrowful look Aeris had sent his way last night, and the way her eyes…her wide green eyes stared at him with so much fear….with so much terror.

"I…" he began, as his mako tinted eyes flitted from his clenched hands. "I had a feeling that something wasn't right with Aeris when we first found her….but…I…I…"

'…_I did nothing…'_

The blond fell silent, and Tifa sent an anxious look to Barret to see if he had anything to say to help their leader. The burly gunman scratched the back of his head with his human arm feeling sympathetic to the blond's shame.

"Yo Cloud, so what do you want us to do then? Are we gonna look for Aeris? Or are we gonna stay in Wutai to wait for her, or what?"

The blond swordsman shrugged his shoulders, too caught up in his own self shame to even contemplate the thought of moving his head to meet the gunman's eyes.

"Well, you are still our leader man. That's your job an all. You tell us what to do, and we do it…" Barret added, with a clear frown.

The blond sighed, and very reluctantly raised his head to the sky.

"I don't know what to do," Cloud, replied honestly, causing a certain blond pilot to roll his eyes, mumbling about stupid, young kids who were too shit scared to decide on things that he considered were so relatively simple.

Barret grunted and scratched his head once more.

And then mako tinted eyes glanced over, in search of a certain crimson cloaked gunman.

"Vincent?" the blond asked quietly.

The gunman in question tilted his head to the side, as his dark intelligent eyes took on a more calculating look.

"You told me earlier, that you knew Aeris wasn't in the town because you couldn't sense her…" Cloud stated softly, whilst looking at the crimson eyed gunman.

The Ex-Turk nodded slightly in agreement. "I did…"

"Then if that is true…" the blond paused then, to release a soft disquieted sigh of utter misfortune. "…wouldn't that mean you possess the ability to sense her if she was somewhere else?"

The gunman frowned. He knew the direction where Cloud was taking this conversation.

"So you want to use me to find her…." the gunman murmured quietly, as he turned his eyes to the side, to gaze at the sakura trees, which had lost all traits of their former beauty and charm. Now they seemed barren and void of life.

The swordsman regrettably nodded. "Yes….but…not by yourself. I'll be going with you."

"But what about us Cloud?" Tifa voiced in confusion. "What about Avalanche? We are a team, remember?"

The blond frowned. "But Aeris…" he began weakly. His plans of taking on Shinra seemed like a fading memory after all that had happened regarding the repeated loss of their mysterious green eyed companion.

"That just means we'll all have to go and find her together. Hell Spike, use 'yer damn head. It ain't rocket science or anything." Cid interrupted, as all eyes turned on the older blond who was currently playing around with his silver lighter.

The swordsman nodded. "I guess…" Cloud consented, as his eyes turned back to the stoic gunman. "Will that be alright with you Vincent?"

"It's fine," Vincent agreed, closing his eyes to send another prayer to the heavens. How did he get himself into such situations?

Cloud's lips twitched weakly at the gunman's answer, partially surprised that he did not even need to do any coaxing to win the Ex-Turk's favour. However, that fact in itself rather puzzled him, and made him think back to Yuffie and Tifa's earlier hints of Aeris and Vincent having a rather close connection to one another. However, the blond dismissed the idea as quickly as it came. Whether Aeris and Vincent were dating or had some form of illicit love truly did not matter. What mattered was finding Aeris, and if he needed the help of the Ex-Turk to find her, then so be it.

"Alright guys. Let's go back to the Inn, and get the rest of our stuff," Cloud commanded firmly, as he pulled himself off the ground and made his way to his discarded sword. He hoisted the massive blade over his shoulder and sheathed it to his back with expert ease.

"Oh and Cid…" the blond paused, as he fished around in his pockets, finding nothing but lint and low level materia.

"_Looking for this?"_

Something, green caught his eye, and the swordsman instantly raised his hand to catch the flying projectile. The blond blinked in confusion as he stared down at the familiar bag of gil in his hand, then back to a certain grinning ninja.

"Huh?"

The blond blinked in pure befuddlement.

Yuffie winked before dashing away into the direction of the inn.

Cloud shook his head. He simply didn't want to think about anything anymore. Pivoting on his foot, the blond made his way to a certain swearing pilot, and held the pouch out to the older man's gaze.

"Take it," Cloud offered quietly, as his mako tinted orbs took in the perplexed hue of the older blond's visual gaze.

"Huh? What's this for?" The pilot questioned warily.

"You told me earlier that you had no materia," the swordsman replied as he planted the small, yet hefty bag into the pilot's now outstretched palm. "There should be at least 1500 gil in there. Hopefully, this should be enough to buy at least two types of mid level materia."

"Aww schucks, thanks kiddo," Cid replied, genuinely thankful for the gil. Due to the crazy fiasco that had occurred in Rocket town, he had no time to pick up his wallet, and he had personally been dreading the fact that he was running low on cigarettes. Forget buying materia. Cid knew exactly where he was going to spend all this gil.

'Hmm, I wonder what Wutai tobacco is like…?' The blond pilot pondered aloud with a growing smile on his face.

"See yah guys and gals in a bit," Cid stated with a wave, before jogging most enthusiastically to the closest item store he could find.

The remaining members of Avalanche turned to Cloud with a few sweat drop expressions etched on their faces.

"Well…" Cloud began slowly, scratching the back of his head. "If any of you guys feel the need to buy anything, now is the right time to do it."

"Well I'm running low on ammo. What about you Vincent?" Barret called out. The Ex-Turk nodded in agreement. He didn't need to check his magazine cartridge to know that it was empty.

"Alright Spike, Vincent and I are gonna go and get ourselves some ammo, wait for us outside the Inn okay!" The burly gunman bellowed, gesturing for Vincent to follow him.

As the two departed, this only left Red, Tifa and Cloud.

"Do you need to do anything Red?" Tifa questioned gently.

The fire beast shook his head in negative. "I am fine Tifa,"

She turned her head to her leader.

"Cloud?"

The blond smiled weakly whilst shaking his head.

"Alright. I guess that means we should all then go back to the Inn then," Tifa voiced lightly.

"Yeah," Cloud and Red agreed together, before making their way back to the Wutai Inn.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_**Somewhere unknown on the Central continent...**_

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kadaj couldn't believe it. They had wasted three hours. THREE HOURS of their precious time. And for what…?

Well….the reason was currently sleeping in the arms of a certain brown haired, green eyed demi-Cetra.

"Mother? What are you doing?" The silver haired teen cried out in aghast, eyeing all the blood, which was splashed across the grassy ground, on his mother's clothes, and smeared all over the bundle within his mother's hands, and even on his own leather gloves and clothes. The sight repulsed him.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Aeris voiced out in muttered irritation. Her mood had snapped over an hour ago. Aiding a chocobo to give birth had the ability to drain every ounce of patience from anyone. However the moment Aeris stared down at the tiny baby chocobo in her arms, and heard its first squeaky squalor, that moment was enough to bring the brunette's kindly, motherly nature out into the open.

The chocobo… was simply….so utterly...so...unbelievably...adorable!

"Kwee- kwee…Kwee-kwee," the tiny thing whimpered, wriggling and snuggling against the brunette's warm chest.

"Awww," Aeris thought fondly as she began to pet the little bird's head, feeling her heart warm in happiness when the bird began making sounds of pure contentment.

'Kwee-wee-wee." it sighed happily as it drew out a small cheeky pink tongue from between its parted orange beak. The chocobo's eyes were closed beneath a pink layer of skin, which was usual for newly born birds. Its skin and tiny feathers were matted with blood, and other birthing liquids, that Aeris tried brushing away with her fingers and a scrap of cloth that she had torn away from the bottom of her dress.

"Mother! H-how can you touch that disgusting thing?!" Kadaj all but cried. "That beast's blood is all over you. It's contaminating you!" he protested. In all honesty, the sight of the blood did not bother the teen at all. It was the fact that his Mother could be enraptured with a stupid and hideously ugly pink ball of skin and bloody feathers that was truly getting to him. Aeris was smiling at it. She was cooing over it. Her long and delicate fingers were smeared with the stupid creature's liquid life remains. Her eyes glimmered with feelings of warmth and laughter, and she giggled every time the little monstrous thing nuzzled its stupid repulsive head against her soft bosom.

The teen bit his tongue, and clenched his fingers at his sides, as he watched the maternal scene of his Mother and the chocobo, with cold and viciously calculating eyes. He sneered in amounting frustration. He simply could not understand why his Mother would want to touch such a revolting and ugly thing. He clearly disapproved of the disturbing closeness this ugly beast had with his beloved Mother.

And Kadaj was envious.

No… not just envious,

He was insanely jealous.

And he hated it.

This feeling…

This feeling that was getting stronger and stronger inside of him. He could not stand the way the chocobo's head was allowed to be so closely nestled to his Mother's loving breast. So close to her heart... To all her warmth and purity... While he wasn't..

It felt like the chocobo was stealing all his Mother's love away from him.

'…_well… if that pink and yellow deformity wants to take away __**MY**__ Mother…then I'll simply have to take away __**HIS**__…'_

Kadaj's narrowed mint eyes slid to a certain yellow feathered figure, peacefully resting behind his dark haired mother, and he grinned.

The teen's dark gloved fingers slipped inside his leather materia bag, and withdrew an orb emanating of pitch darkness. Kadaj did not bother to look down at his hand. The ominous powers oozing from the orb in his hand and into his consciousness was telling him that he had chosen the right piece of materia.

His lips curled even more.

'Destructive materia….**Death** materia…'

Kadaj continued to stare at the resting chocobo.

To him, the large bird looked like a single flab of lard. A fat slab of yellow feathers, which was unaware of the dark fate that was soon to befall it.

'_Heh eh hehe…..I will teach you to take my mother away from me…'_

And then Kadaj began his silent chant of death. The glyph of the ancient Thanatos curse burned through the air, and yet Kadaj was the only one to sense it's devastating power.

His words were soundless; his eyes flared, as the dark mystic energies of his curse were directly absorbed from the mako orb in his hands, and into his own inner lifestream running through his body.

'…_**death….death…death….Thanatos...the drive to die.'**_

His thin pale lips twisted up into a feral grin, and the teen's green eyes glinted with a cold malice as he continued to stare at a certain sleeping chocobo, that had been unfortunately forgotten after everything that had occurred.

And it was there, in his eyes, which shined the soul of his maker. Bloodthirsty, and ruthless, Kadaj raised the materia above his head and closed his eyes. In his mind, he could hear the mother chocobo's pulsing breath, erratic and fearful. Her heart, palpitating at uneven levels, getting quicker and quicker. Moving faster and faster. The teen bared his teeth in a wicked smile, concentrating on moving the energies of both the death curse and the chocobo's inner spirit into his left hand. Then with a deliberate flex of his hand, Kadaj crushed his fingers inside his tightly fisted palm.

"WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKK!!!"

Suddenly the large, fat chocobo screeched out in front of the incredibly amused teen, and Aeris whirled her head behind her to stare in pure horror, as the bulky yellow chocobo began having violent convulsions before her very eyes. Her wide green eyes dilated as the bird squealed and screamed, and tossed its fat head from side to side as if in pure agony. Then both Aeris and Kadaj watched as the gigantic bird suddenly pulled itself to its feet and began sprinting away, as if trying to escape the nightmare that had surrounded her entire being. However, no sooner than the bird began running, did the chocobo crash to the ground. The scythe of the Thanatos curse had been finalised. Death had prevailed over the chocobo's battle for life.

Aeris raised a trembling hand to her mouth. Too frightened by what she had just seen to even cry. The baby chocobo in her arms, as if sensing her distress began squeaking to gain the brunette's attention once more.

"What…what just happened?" Aeris whispered weakly, as she hesitantly raised herself to her feet, with the little bird in her arms, and began timidly moving towards the fallen bird.

The brunette dropped to her knees, checking the large bird's pulse, then her beak for a sign of breath. There was nothing. With its large pale pink tongue lolled out to the side, blue eyes blind of life, and long legs askew, if Aeris was once unsure what was wrong with the bird, now she knew for certain.

The chocobo mother was _**dead**_.

Aeris felt her entire body freeze in shock, and for one moment, her life stopped.

Behind her, the silver haired teen stood there expressionless, yet victorious. It was becoming so much more difficult _not_ to smile in victory.

_'...What happened?'_

'…_The chocobo…'_

'_She's…dead…'_

'…...'

'…_but how…?'_

'…_why...?'_

'…_..'_

'_..was...?'_

'…_is it my fault?'_

_'Am I the one to blame?'_

'_..Was it because..I was too focussed on her baby chick…'_

_'...that I forgot all about her…?'_

'…_why…?'_

_'...why did I not notice..'_

_'... that she was in so much pain..?'_

'_I learnt my knowledge of pregnancy from...'_

_'...the books that I read at home...'_

_'But they were about human births..'_

_'…not animal…or chocobo ones…?'_

_'Why...?'_

'_Oh __**why**__ can I never do anything right?'_

'_Why do so many...'_

_'...bad things...'_

_'...keep on happening...'_

_'...to me… ?'_

'…_why do I...'_

_'...have to experience...'_

_'...so much death?"_

'…_I…I can't take this...'_

_'... I can't take this feeling of pain..'_

_'...I dont want to see any more death!!!' _

0o0o0o0o0o0

"_Mother_…"

0o0o0o0o0o0

The brunette raised her wet and tearful eyes, to stare into eyes of the most mystifying mint hued oblivion. The eyes of '_him_' were now looking down upon her. They were staring right down into her soul. The eyes of her saviour. The eyes of her lover.

'….Sephiroth…' her mind whispered as her tears began to overflow from her eyes and drip down her pale cheeks. Aeris felt herself drawn towards his hypnotic eyes. Eyes that were painted with the cold memories of the past, and yet were tinged with the passions of a potential future. Her body reacted before her mind did. With one hand cradling the orphaned chocobo to her chest, her other wrapped itself round her mint-eyed saviour, Aeris sought out the unconscious need for her beloved….in the arms of another.

"Shussh, its okay Mother," Kadaj soothed, indulging in the feeling of his Mother's body pressed so closely against his own. Her arm wrapped around his hips, and her damp face sobbed against his side. He closed his eyes, inhaling her flowery scent. Now this was the feeling that he had longed for. This was the moment he had craved since time began. His Mother wanted him. His Mother needed him.

And Kadaj knew that he would grant her anything…

…_anything_ she could ever want.

Carefully, the teen lowered the brunette's fingers from his hips, and pulled her up to her feet, where Aeris clung to him as if there were no other anchor that could hold her to the very planet she stood.

"But why…?" Aeris murmured through blurry tears. "Why can't I escape my own guilt and sadness?" The brunette moved a fist to her mouth, fighting against the tears, which threatened to drip down her face.

"….why do you feel guilt…?" Kadaj voiced quietly, as he wrapped one possessive arm around his Mother's waist, while the other cradled the brunette's head, letting his fingers languidly slide through the soft and luscious strands.

"Because I am weak…and a failure… I fail at anything I do… I can't do anything…" Aeris whispered brokenly. "My real mother died because of me. My adopted mother is in hiding because of me. My first boyfriend failed to return to me….and Seph…you…you died because of me… because I was too blind to see what you wanted from me…I was far too stupid…and for that I'm sorry…"

The fingers stroking the brunette's hair stopped, and the teen felt his heart crash to the floor…

'Seph…….Sephiroth….my mother called me Sephiroth…'

Kadaj could not explain why he felt so much pain after hearing such a realisation. He knew he should have felt honoured. He had been compared to the Great Sephiroth. The soon to be ruler of this world, and of his kind.

And yet…

Kadaj didn't.

Slowly extracting his hands and arms from around his Mother's frame, the teen took a few paces back, nearly tripping over the yellow-feathered carcass behind him. It was that specific action which awoke Aeris from her memories of the past and to the reality that she was facing now.

The brunette blinked. "Kadaj..?" She voiced quietly as if awakening herself from a forgotten dream.

"What is it Mother?"

Aeris stared down at the baby chick in her arms, then at the chocobo's lifeless mother with a prolonging sadness. "Isn't there anything we can do…about her?"

Kadaj mock-regrettably shook his head in negative. _'As if I would revive the same beast that I killed...'_

Planting the little chocobo in her lap, the brunette knelt before the dead creature and clasped her hands together. The teen blinked, unable to work out as to what his Mother was trying to do.

"Mother what are you…?" Kadaj began.

"I am praying for this poor chocobos soul to have a safe journey back to the life stream…" Aeris voiced as she brushed a few stray tears away.

The teen blinked. The unspoken question was written in his eyes.

'…_why?'_

_'why would she care for something so...'_

_'...dumb and stupid?'_

"Why are you so upset Mother? Why do you cry? It's just a dumb bird. We can always find another one to…" Kadaj was unable to finish his statement after seeing the look on his mother's now clearly enraged face.

A flash of fury coloured the brunette's bright-eyed gaze. "How dare you say such a thing? All forms of life are important _**Seph**_, whether you may appreciate them or not!"

The teen flinched outwardly and his hands tightened at his sides.

'_Seph..'_

However, the brunette paid no heed, fully oblivious to her verbal blunder.

"Look Kadaj, I don't know who taught you to think of life as something so expendable and unimportant, but everything deserves to live. Whether human or chocobo! What gives you the right to think that chocobo is so worthless?"

'…_because it is worthless.' _the teen thought cruelly. '…_and I would kill it again, if I could…'_

_'...if you could hold onto me again mother...'_

"What gives you the right to believe that its life is such to throwaway?"

'…_because I soon will be part of the next generation of beings living on this polluted planet, as will you mother.'_

Aeris sighed. She had an instinctive feeling that the teen had not truly understood a word that she had said.

"And what about him?"

The brunette gestured to the tiny chocobo in her lap.

The young, silver haired swordsman shrugged indifferently. He really couldn't care less what happened to that stupid chick. For all he cared, he could toss the damnable bird into the ocean right now and end its pathetic life.

"Well I guess that means we'll have to keep him."

The teen paused, as his thoughts grinded to a halt. Did he just hear what he thought he heard?

"W-what?!"

His eyebrows arched up in pure bafflement.

"We'll have to keep him," Aeris repeated with a slight smile, as she picked up the chocobo from her lap and held it securely to her chest.

"But Mother…" Kadaj tried to protest. There was no chance in hell that he was going to let that chocobo enter the Promised Land with his Mother.

"…we can't…"

"Why not? This poor thing can't fend for himself. He would become prey to all sorts of predators. And what's more, he has just lost his mother. Nope, my minds decided. We're keeping him, whether you like it or not."

Kadaj frowned, feeling no anger or resentment for his Mother's words and decisions. No, the teen directed his anger at the small chirping chick that was nestling against his Mother's snugly chest. The consolation that he had killed the little chocobo's mother held no meaning now. It seemed that whatever he tried, that baby chocobo would always be one-step ahead to mock him.

"As you wish Mother…" the teen consented softly, all the while, trying to think of all the macabre ways he could destroy the pathetic yellow thing without his Mother not knowing.

'…yes the river…' the teen sniggered to himself. '..Or an unfortunate fight with an enraged and hungry behemoth…or maybe a much more fitting death would be...by a chocobo eater..'

The teen shook his head. His revenge could come later. Now he had to decide on what to do now.

"So where are we anyway?" Aeris questioned.

"I think we are on the central continent, and since we no longer own a chocobo worthy of riding, we will need to continue walking up north, until we find another more convenient method of transportation," Kadaj vocalised, panning his eyes towards the dark green forest which stood in the distance, then behind him at the shoreline of endless water.

The brunette nodded in understanding. "So are you ready for an uber big adventure Kwee kwee?" Aeris asked the cute little bird to which the chocobo squealed and chirped happily. "I certainly am!"

'Kwee-kwee? She's given that thing a name?' Kadaj frowned darkly, and tugged at the brunette's elbow, to help his Mother to her feet, all the while, glaring at the pink skinned monstrosity in the brunette's arms.

'Just you wait...' the teen thought cruelly, quickly curling his lips into a warm and genuine grin when his eyes met his Mother's for one split moment, before guiding her towards the nearest forest to the North of them.

**Author's Notes**

**Heh, Now this was certainly an emotional chappie. I actually enjoyed writing it, even though it dealt with a little bit of morbid content, and a death of a poor chocobo. How could Kadaj be so cruel and evil…?! Hurting a pregnant chocobo…and then killing it just because he is jealous of its baby. Awwww, Now baby Kwee kwee's an orphan. But we needn't have to worry. I'm sure Aeris will be willing to be his Mother… however; I doubt that Kadaj will want to play any part in being the birdie's father or brother. Lol**

**But yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this, and I have to apologise for the lateness. Hopefully I can pelt out a couple more chappies out before Xmas.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**P.S**

**Any questions or comments? Feel free to notify me through email or my myspace. Lol. Simply click on my username at the top of this page and I'm sure you'll find it. Lol. x**


	11. Hunger and Pain

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**5311 words**

**14 pages**

**Chapter 11 Hunger and Pain**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Merry Xmas Everyone! And I hope you all have a Happy New Year!**

**Oooh, domo arigatou for the lovely reviews you guys gave me for my last chapter. I'm still uberly surprised that I haven't received any negative feedback regarding my characterisation of Kadaj. Afterall, my presentation of him is kinda controversial-ish… But ahh… I guess it's because of Kadaj's strange peculiarities, which makes you guys want to read all the **_**more**_** about him, eh? Lol. **

**Hmm, As for my musical muse today, it's the beautiful soundtrack of Xenosaga I/II/III. Gods, Mitsuda's music is so heavenly. So passionate and oh so mournful. Lol.**

**Oh and for you kind readers who contacted me on Myspace. Thank you ever so much! Now I finally know some people to whom I can badger about my favourite pairing. Lol. Plus it's always nice to put a face to a username.**

**But ah, enough of my random rambling…**

**And on with the fic!!!**

0o0o0o0o0

'_Ugh…'_

'_We're so lost. I just know it.'_

'……_..'_

Aeris felt like she had been travelling for hours, in a dense forest, cram-packed with ugly green frogs, and deceptively innocent flowers that could easily bite your whole hand off, if you dared to touch their alluringly beautiful petals. Her pale haired, dark suited companion had said nothing since they had entered the forest. Aeris thought this was rather unusual, and yet she appreciated his silence, for it enabled the brunette to ponder about her own worrying thoughts. Her brows furrowed together, and her lips curled downwards in growing sadness as she thought about the mother chocobo that they had both left on the sandy terrain. If she had been thinking more clearly at that time, the brunette knew she would have at least given the bird the proper burial that it truly deserved. But she hadn't. The only thing Aeris did focus on was her own guilt and her own shame. She was so selfish. So inconsiderate. Aeris was so desperate to leave the yellow-feathered mess of death, and to forget the pooling crimson hue across the ground. She willingly followed Kadaj without even turning back. She abandoned her duties of returning the poor bird back to the planet…just because…

'…_.I was afraid…'_

'_...and because…'_

'…_.I know it is my fault… that the bird died…'_

'…_death follows me, no matter where I go…'_

'…_and I…"_

"…_I.."_

'…_.I just don't want to see any more death…'_

'…_.I don't want to experience any more pain…'_

'…_.'_

The brunette sighed weakly, as her eyes fell down to the poor little chick that was sleeping within the comfort of her arms. He had lost her mother, and Aeris' heart was panging in growing sadness. The brunette was still unsure what had exactly caused the mother chocobo's death, and the chances that she may have been to blame was eating away at her guilt ridden insides. What worried the brunette even more was how she had no idea how to tend to a new-born chocobo. It wasn't like she had any knowledge on what food a chocobo ate, or of the liquids that they drank. However, Aeris knew that if they didn't get food soon for the little one….then….

…then…

'…..'

Aeris sniffled quietly to herself. Her eyes were bright yet tearless, as she strode onwards with all the strength that remained inside her weakened limbs. Her bare feet were dirty and scuffed. They were a little sore but nothing that she couldn't handle. Her arms felt a bit cold too, but like her feet, she cared little for her own welfare.

For she had bigger things to worry about.

_She has to take care of __**Kwee-Kwee**__._

_She has to get to the __**Reunion**__._

_And she has to find… '__**him**__'._

And they were the only three things that mattered.

However, Aeris knew that, she wouldn't be able to complete any of her great tasks, if she couldn't find away out of this 'bloody' forest!

The brunette suddenly stopped walking….

And her companion reacted immediately by pausing mid-step.

"Kadaj?" Aeris called out softly, as she turned her head to her right, to lock onto a pair of mint green eyes that were staring back at her with a very unnerving amount of intensity. For how long Kadaj had stared at her like this, the brunette did not know, and in all honesty, she truly did not wish to know. For there was something truly disturbing about Kadaj's haunting eyes. The teen gazed at her so openly. He stared at her so unblinkingly. Even his silence seemed to carry the weight of his mint hued vision. Those mysteriously mako hued depths…. they had the power to pierce through the brunette's defences, and see into every crack and smear of her tainted and fractured soul.

The thought was extremely unsettling, not to mention a little frightening….

'_It's because of him…'_

'_It's because he looks so much like him…'_

'_And that's what makes it so frightening…'_

'…_.. So frighteningly familiar…'_

Aeris turned her head away, breaking the teen's eye contact with her own. She closed her clouded eyes for a moment, and inhaled a slow and unsteady breath.

'_I have to stop thinking so deeply into the past…the memory of that night cannot help me now…I need to just think of now….and of the things I can do now…'_

'…_like…asking Kadaj where we are, and if we are going in the right direction…'_

'…_yes…I need to think about things I can do…things I can solve…'_

The brunette exhaled silently.

When Aeris reopened her eyes, she returned her gaze back to the silver haired teen, and then voiced the question that had been earlier nagging her thoughts for the last hour.

"Kadaj, where are we?"

The teen blinked and Aeris continued on.

"Are we lost?"

The teen seemed startled by the question, and for one moment, Aeris watched in dubious confusion as the silver haired swordsman pivoted on his foot, glancing around at each corner of the forest, as if seeing the green leaves, and dark earth beneath him for the very first time. His mint green eyes then slowly turned back upon his dark haired companion, and it was then that a small smile curled at the corner's of the teen's soft and gentle lips.

"Of course not Mother," Kadaj answered rather amiably. "We are still in the same forest."

The brunette blinked. She didn't know whether the teen was trying to make a joke or not. Either way, Aeris didn't find his response at all funny. "I know that, I just want to know, if you knew where we are going?" she reiterated, with a slight frown.

"Of course I know Mother," Kadaj teasingly scoffed, as his eyes danced with an unknown merriment of pleasure. "We're going to the Reunion,"

If Aeris weren't holding Kwee-Kwee with both of her arms, she would have slapped the back of the teen's head due to his thick-headed response. Although, the brunette was still unsure whether Kadaj was simply goading her. From the warm glittering of his eyes, Aeris believed that the boy simply enjoyed teasing her to no end. However, the brunette knew how eagerly the boy tried to please her…

'…_ugh… he still calls me his 'Mother' …'_

'…_I can only wonder why he would want to call me that…'_

'…_.and why Sephiroth even planted such an idea into this boy's head…'_

'…_.grrrr… I hate thinking about things that simply make no sense to me…'_

'_Damnit Sephiroth, even when you are not around, your presence is always there to bother me.' _

Kadaj, noticing Aeris' frowning expression, immediately felt the need to reassure the brunette's faith in his abilities. "Do not worry Mother, I'm sure we'll exit this forest some time soon," he added with a boyish grin. "Oh and Mother!" Kadaj called out pleasantly, "Would you like to rest now? Or are you hungry? I'm sure I still have quite a few rations left," the teen stated sweetly while gesturing to his bag that was strapped across one shoulder.

The brunette's face tensed in minor irritation. She really was in no mood for Kadaj's saccharine kindness, or his bright green ogling mako eyes.

"No I'm fine, Kadaj. I'm don't need any food…" Aeris paused, as a sudden idea ran through her head.

'…_but Kwee-Kwee does..'_

"Oh! What food do you have on you Kadaj?"

The teen's grin broadened, extremely pleased with the thought that he could tend to his Mother's needs. Shrugging the bag off his shoulder, the teen, dropped to his knees and began searching through his entire pack.

"Um… Some bread. Two flasks of water. Some dried beef strips. Oh and some fish too. Some kind of edible fungi I found three days ago. An opened packet of lentils and soybean soup powder. Two unopened bottles of milk. A red packet of something called ramen...or whatever. Uncooked rice and raw chickpeas and…"

The teen continued on, but Aeris lost interest the moment she heard a word that caused the wheels in her head to turn.

"The milk might work," she pondered aloud, as she turned her soft green eyes to Kwee-Kwee, who was sleeping inside the crook of her left arm.

Kadaj whipped his head upwards at the sound of her mumblings.

"You want some milk Mother?" the teen asked warmly, as he pulled out one of the pale nameless bottles and handed the sealed beverage to the brunette. He made best of the moment by brushing his gloved fingers over the back of his Mother's hand, for a much longer time than was absolutely necessary.

'_If only it was skin to skin…'_

The teen's eyes burned at the thought of his internal desire.

"Thanks Kadaj." Aeris answered sweetly, trying to ignore the unsettling feelings, which arose in her stomach as Kadaj seductively, dragged his fingers away from her own, before attentively tending to his bag.

Uncapping the milk bottle top with her teeth, the brunette stared at the ivory liquid inside the clear glass container, then back at the now slowly awaking choco-chick.

"Hmmm…"

Kadaj after clipping his bag closed, turned back to gaze at the brunette behind him. Noting her furrowed expression, the teen voiced his confusion. "What's wrong Mother?"

"It's cold…" Aeris murmured softly to herself, as she gestured to the bottle in her right hand.

The teen blinked in clear befuddlement. "Cold?" he repeated nervously.

'_Doesn't Mother like cold milk?'_

"It needs to be warm." Aeris clarified quietly.

"Warm?" Kadaj repeated slowly, looking even more confused than he was before. '_Why warm?'_

The brunette nodded, while continuing to frown at the white bottle in her hand.

Kadaj stared at Aeris in pensive silence. He chewed on his lip slightly and flitted his eyes from the problem in the brunette's right hand, and then at his mother's frowning expression. Then suddenly, the teen's eyes widened as a sudden idea passed into his head.

"Pass the bottle to me Mother," The teen commanded gently, giving no time for Aeris to respond as he quickly plucked the bottle from the brunette's pale fingers. With one hand holding the cold beverage, Kadaj used his other to reach inside his bag, to withdraw a glowing piece of green materia.

Then without warning, the silver haired boy dramatically fell to his knees before the startled brunette.

"?"

Aeris blinked in pure bafflement.

Assuming he was going to do something stupid, Aeris opened her mouth to speak. However she silenced herself when Kadaj carefully placed both the bottle and materia on the ground, before shedding his gloves off his hands, and planting them on the ground alongside with the rest of his items.

"What are you doing Kadaj?" Aeris asked warily as she stared at the teen's long and highly effeminate fingers, which held perfectly trimmed nails on each and every cuticle. She didn't need to look down at her own grubby nails to know that Kadaj's fingers were better tended to than her own.

The teen's lips quirked upwards and made no answer.

Kadaj then moved his pale fingers towards the glimmering materia, and palmed it between both of his hands. His mint eyes narrowed, and Aeris missed the murmured garble which passed between the teen's lips, as the green glowing orb began to radiate with an unknown energy between the teen's grasp. Then suddenly, Kadaj hissed, and his face grimaced, as if in pain. His head then dipped downwards, and his flaxen hair then became a curtain, to shield his visibly tortured features from view.

"Kadaj?" Aeris questioned warily, feeling her heartbeat rise in fearful anticipation, due to the pulsing palpitations of mystifying magic, which was resonating in the air between them.

The teen did not answer her, and so the brunette quickly kneeled, while keeping her sleeping chick to her chest. However, even in this new position, Aeris was still unable to catch the young swordsman's eyes.

However, her nose was able to catch a scent she had not noticed before.

It smelt like burning…

Like burning flesh…

The brunette's eyes widened, and nearly dropped Kwee-Kwee in surprise.

It seemed like eternity had passed, even though in reality, it had been less than a minute before Kadaj dropped the piece of materia from his hands. The moment, the green orb touched the ground; the scent of burnt grass filled the air. Aeris hitched her breath in surprise as thin silvery wisps of smoke unlatched themselves from the now dimming orb, and fled themselves upwards to the heavens above. Her wide eyes then moved from the smouldering orb to the teen who was staring at his palms with a passive look of minor irritation. Aeris then watched as Kadaj, placed his left palm on his knee, while his other reached over to encase the cold milk bottle. The teen visibly flinched, and it was clear that Kadaj tried to cover his reaction from the brunette's wide-eyed gaze by craning his head over the bottle, so that all Aeris could really see was his mop of silver hair. His left hand then joined the teen's right and the brunette watched in baffled silence as Kadaj remained in the same knelt position, cradling the glass bottle between his tightly clenched fingers.

'_What the…what the hell is this strange boy doing?!'_

And then slowly, the teen raised his head, and Aeris saw an eye peeping out through his many strands of silver hair. His arms stretched outwards, and Aeris eyed the drink he was offering to her in mute silence.

The brunette's empty hand reached outward, towards the fair haired boy.

"Enjoy," Kadaj murmured weakly as he handed the milk over to the brunette's nearest hand.

However Aeris bypassed the liquid offering and instead latched her fingers onto the teen's left wrist, gently tugging Kadaj's hand away, before hesitantly turning it over to stare down at the exposed palm.

The brunette's reaction was immediate. Her face whitened in pure and undisguised horror. The teen's palm was red and raw. It was burnt and crisp. The blood was dry and yet the skin was still smouldering. The brunette let out a cry of alarm as she eyed each finger. Each digit was identical to the other. Scalded and blistered. The cooked skin seemed to ooze with pure agony. Aeris dared not to touch the wounded flesh lest she serve to cause more pain unto the poor teen.

"What on Gaia's name did you do?!" Aeris voiced in a choked whisper, as she cradled the palm with one hand, while looking at the teen's other that was holding the milk bottle. She did not have to look at that palm to know that it was in the same condition as his left. "Why on Gaia's name did you do it?" she questioned horrifically.

Kadaj all the while stared at his Mother. His wide, mint hued eyes had softened impressively when the brunette's face crumpled in pure fright and worry from his self-inflicted burns. A strange yet welcome sensation bubbled inside the teen's abdomen, as he listened to the raw distress that coated her voice.

'…_She…she is concerned for me…'_

'…_and she worries for me…'_

'…_she fears…for me…'_

'…_and her eyes are on me…'_

'…_just for me…'_

'…_and…__**only**__ for me…'_

"Mother…" Kadaj murmured breathlessly, as he looked down at her hand cradling his own. Enclosing his stained dark and blackened palm within her gentle and protective grasp.

Kadaj felt his eyes sting slightly, with a warm wetness that blurred his entire vision.

"Kadaj!" Aeris pleaded urgently, whilst shaking her head.

"I heated your milk Mother." The teen replied in a calm and passive voice, even though in his mind, all he could focus on was the perpetual burning of his hands, the throbbing of his heart, and the wetness in his eyes.

The brunette shook her head vigorously. "No, I want to know why did you do it? Why did you hurt yourself?" Aeris cried out in aghast.

"Because I had to…" Kadaj answered quietly, oddly unsettled when Aeris released his hand and instead grabbed his chin, to bring his startled face to her own.

"You had to hurt yourself?!" Aeris exclaimed in disbelief, as her pale fingers unconsciously tightened around the teen's narrow chin.

"No Mother. I had to…no...I **wanted **to give you what you wished…"

The brunette felt her face crumple further at the teen's response. Kadaj was… The teen was…He was just so…so very _disturbed_! Aeris truly could not even begin to understand the mind of this very strange silver haired boy. His brain was warped beyond her own comprehension….and yet… even in his actions of insanity…there was an undeniable compassion, an unfathomable loyalty that Aeris had experienced once before, from another that she once cared for with all her heart. This boy's face mirrored his. His actions and his thoughts seemed to too. He possessed kindness within his insanity. His eyes could express warmth despite the tainted mako cruelty…and his mouth…his lips were a weapon which he could twist a smile into a sneer, and a grimace into a grin.

Aeris shuddered. This boy had the same enigmatic power as him. As Sephiroth… and Aeris knew that she was falling under the same trap. Kadaj…this beautiful…stupid boy. He had harmed himself for her benefit. He burned his own hands for her. Aeris would never doubt that the teen would even kill himself for her if she even dared to ask. The brunette felt overwhelmed by this revelation. This knowledge of power that Aeris possessed over this strange silver haired boy. It was truly terrifying.

Aeris shook her head. She had been unaware that she had been staring at the teen's eyes for so long. She did not want the boy to get any more ideas. She still did not know why this boy held her in such high esteem, however Aeris knew, without a doubt, that Sephiroth had said something to Kadaj to make him treat her as if she were the white moon to his black and starless sky. Focusing her thoughts back to the problem that was at hand, Aeris released her hand from the teen's chin, before removing the well-heated milk bottle from Kadaj's other hand. Settling the bottle on the ground beside her, and then carefully repositioning Kwee-Kwee down from her left arm, and into her lap, Aeris stared at the kneeling boy for a few silent moments, eyeing both of his hands with visible empathy. Then, when she thought that she could not stare at the burns for another moment longer, the brunette slid her eyes closed and moved her hands upwards in prayer. With her vision blackened, Aeris focussed her abilities on her other senses. She inhaled the scent of nature, and tried to picture her inner lifestream flowing through her body. The brunette tensed as she imagined a green coil of soothing warmth, rising from the core of her chest, flowing down her arms to meet between her joined palms. She then tried to picture the boy seated in front of her, and his burnt hands. Aeris then envisioned the green coils leaping from her own palms, before imagining the wind carrying the strength of her magic to the source of Kadaj's pain. Her soft lips murmured quietly; as she felt the strain of her ill-practiced magic, attempting to draw the green coil of energy back inside her own being. However, the brunette clenched her teeth, and pushed the emerald stream as far as she could. A distinct pop sounded within her head, and Aeris snapped her eyes open at the sudden distraction.

What she saw rather startled her.

"!"

Kadaj was staring at her in pure astonishment. His entire facial features had transfigured into an expression of awe, as he flexed his fingers and palms, which were now char-free and free from any form of blemish. His mint hued eyes flitted down to his hands and then back at the green-eyed brunette.

"You-" Kadaj breathed, as his face contorted with visible emotion. "Y-you healed me with…no materia?"

Kadaj suddenly bowed down before her, with his head to the ground, and Aeris almost spilled over the bottle of milk beside her in surprise.

"Mother…thank you…"

Kadaj's voice was filled with more than gratitude. It was filled with illicit feelings that Aeris did not attempt to even recognise. The brunette blushed.

"It's nothing…just don't…don't do something like that again…" Aeris brushed off weakly, as she stared at the teen's prostrate position with growing discomfort and unease. Kadaj was acting disturbing yet again and she didn't really know how to deal with it.

"Alright Mother. I promise," Kadaj answered softly yet surely, however he did not move from his bowed position. His voice was filled with clotted emotion, and it sent unwelcome shivers down the brunette's back. Aeris felt so flustered, and she hated it. That was why she hastily leaned forward and helped to pull the teen upright. However, her quick and unsteady actions rocked the once sleeping bird that was in her lap, and now Kwee-Kwee was crying out for his own attention.

"Oh! Sorry Kwee-Kwee," Aeris apologised as she picked up the tiny pink-skinned chocobo and drew it against her chest. She rocked it gently to quell its startled cries. She noticed that Kadaj was watching her, however Aeris paid little notice. Instead, Aeris picked up the forgotten milk bottle with a free hand and angled the now warm bottle near the little chick's beak, mentally praying to the Gods that the bird would be able to lick the liquid without choking. Fortunately, luck seemed to be on her side as the little bird raised its limp head, and stretched its tongue in instinct to get a taste of dinner.

As Aeris was focussed on feeding the poor hungry bird, she missed the cold look that had manifested on the young teen's face, nor did she notice the way that Kadaj's eyes burned in mounting fury.

As Kadaj watched his Mother feeding the chocobo, there was only one thought that was racing through the teen's head.

'…_that milk…wasn't for Mother…'_

'…_it was for that…that abominable creature…'_

'_I inflicted pain upon myself.…I burned myself so that Mother could feed that…that ugly monstrosity?!'_

To say Kadaj was livid would have been an extreme understatement.

However, Aeris was oblivious to the teen's fury.

After at least ten minutes had passed, Aeris removed the bottle with a relieved sigh. Even though Kwee-Kwee had been barely able to drink more than an eighth of the bottle, the bird appeared to be very much full. In fact, no sooner, than Aeris had settled the now luke-warm milk to the floor, the bird had fallen asleep. She grinned to herself, and carefully stroked with bird's tiny head with motherly affection.

'Awww.' she thought to herself. 'How cute…'

The brunette's green eyes then moved upwards to stare at her unusually taciturn companion who was eyeing her rather strangely. She mentally frowned to herself. She did not know what she had done to be given such a look; however she tried to think nothing of it. Afterall, Kadaj had warmed up Kwee-Kwee's dinner, (even though he had done so in a highly unconventional and extremely dangerous manner), and she had yet to thank him.

And so that is what Aeris did next.

"Thank you Kadaj." Aeris voiced in a low voice, as not to reawaken her little Kwee-Kwee.

The teen blinked in mild surprise, before smiling sweetly. However his eyes betrayed the warmth of his expression when they dipped down to stare at the ugly, yellow rat-bird that was nestled against HIS MOTHER'S BREASTS. Kadaj tried to curl his lips up even further, but the smile was clearly strained. "You're welcome…Mother…"

This time, Aeris did visibly frown.

"Is everything alright Kadaj? You're still not hurt?" she asked.

The teen shook his head. "No Mother…I was just thinking about the journey ahead," he lied, before carefully aiding his Mother to her feet.

The brunette looked unconvinced by Kadaj's answer, but she let the matter slide for now. She simply had to accept that Kadaj had his peculiarities.

'_After all…it isn't like I'm in any real danger being with him. Him addressing me as Mother may be a little irritating and all, but at least Kadaj has never tried to hurt me… like _**him**…'

But no sooner than the thought passed through her head, Aeris watched as Kadaj suddenly lunged towards her. Her mouth widened in horror, and for one split moment, Aeris saw Sephiroth and Masamune gleaming towards her. Aiming straight towards her exposed heart.

"Mother!"

The brunette stumbled backwards and released a silent scream as the silver haired teen grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her side, just in time for the brunette to see two deadly stingers of two exceptionally large hornets graze her arm.

"AGH! OH MY GOD!"

Aeris' wide frightened eyes fastened on the voluptuous size of the demonic insects that filled her entire vision. She couldn't help but stare at their insanely large fangs that were oozing over with venomous saliva. These monsters were hideous. They were absolutely disgusting. They were buzzing and hissing. They were the creature of nightmares.

The brunette unconsciously stepped backwards and bumped into the teen behind her.

"Mother, do not fear-" Kadaj murmured warmly, as he gently drew Aeris behind him, and withdrew his weapon that Aeris had never taken the time to notice before. On first site, it looked like a rather usual blade. It wasn't impressively long like Masamune nor was it thick and abnormally chunky like Cloud's Buster blade. However when the silver haired teen arched his sword upwards into a fighting stance, Aeris was surprised to see that the sword consisted of two sharp blades, resting side by side upon its tsuba.

"-for I will **kill **anything that would ever dare to hurt you!"

And with that, the silver haired teen dashed forward with his sword arched over his head.

His mako tainted eyes flared in passion, and his thin lips curled upwards into a teasing smirk.

Aeris watched the gleam of the teen's blade.

She then blinked once.

And the two hornets fell to the grassy ground.

They were both dead with a capital D.

"Wow…." Aeris breathed quietly. "…He's fast…"

'_But then…so was he…'_

The brunette's heart throbbed as she watched the lean swordsman slice the air with his dual blades with unmitigated pleasure, before expertly sheathing the sword and turning back to face her with the most smuggest expression of arrogance that Aeris had ever seen.

But then a flash of yellow caught the swordsman's vision from his right.

And Aeris watched the teen's eyes narrow to sharpened slits.

Then suddenly…

Kadaj disappeared!

He disappeared right before the brunette's own eyes!!

Aeris opened her mouth to call out her confusion, but then she felt a warm body behind her own, and as the brunette felt the air whoosh out of her lungs, a flash of black and silver catapulted itself over her bewildered head and slashed at the remaining rogue insects that were hovering above her.

The brunette stared stupidly as Kadaj made sushi of his enemies, her heart stopping for just one moment when the swordsman's eyes met her own startled ones with a look of rapturous amusement, before winking briefly. The teen's dark boots then landed impressively to the ground with inhuman grace, and as if someone had removed their finger upon the pause button of time, the bodies of the swordsman's fallen enemies suddenly fell from the heavens, crashing to the floor around the silver warrior in shreds of blooded skin and clumps of bone-shattered gore.

Aeris blinked… simply staring at the mess, which surrounded her. There were easily ten to fifteen slain monsters lying lifelessly before her.

She moved her lips to say something…

And then she blinked again.

"You see Mother, I can always protect you," Kadaj stated confidently as he sheathed his twin bladed sword back to his side.

Aeris vaguely nodded. Too surprised to speak.

'_He protected me….' _Aeris thought dumbly as she wrapped her arms around her, wincing as she moved the bleeding muscle of her left arm.

"Are you alright?" Kadaj asked worriedly, as his eyes stared fixated on the visible injury.

"I think it's just a scratch," Aeris replied as she frowned at the bleeding marks made by the hornets. "It doesn't look seri-"

_**"CURE 3!"**_

"ous…." Aeris finished feebly as she felt the familiar flow of curative energy flooding inside her body.

''That was an unnecessary waste of magic." Aeris commented lightly as she watched Kadaj replace his curative materia back into his bag.

"Nothing for you is unnecessary Mother," Kadaj laughed with such genuine kindness that Aeris was made entirely speechless.

However, even through her embarrassment, Aeris smiled weakly. In that moment, the brunette realised then, that even if she would be never able to understand Kadaj, she at least understood the feelings of her heart for the strange enigmatic boy. She liked Kadaj and she liked being with him, and as long as he kept on making her smile, Aeris doubted she would ever regret going on this journey with him.

"Come on Kadaj…lets go to the _Reunion_."

**Author's Notes**

**Now I certainly enjoyed writing this chapter. However, I have to be honest with you guys. CH11 was meant to be longer and I have taken out a rather embarrassing A/K scene, and instead I decided to place it inside the next chapter. But still, I think this chapter was rather fun to write, even though writing about Kadaj can be very emotionally draining. Lol. But ahh, I hope everyone finally understands my characterisation of Kadaj, and noticed how some of his personality traits have been uncannily similar to a certain OWA. Heh, and as for our beloved flowergirl. Awww Poor girl. She has gone through so much, and it's only gonna get harder for her. lol**

**Anywho, please review you guys. I like knowing what you guys think. Come on, think of giving as review as your Xmas give to me. It only costs your time, and since you spent enough time reading this fic, a couple more minutes reviewing about it, isn't too bad of a deal….is it? Lol**

**Anywho…**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR:**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**P.S**

**Any questions or comments, feel free to notify me by email. Simply click on my username on the top of the page and you'll be directed to it. X Or if you are connected to ye'oldy Myspace, feel free to contact me through there.**


	12. A Woman's Embarrassment

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**5696 words**

**17 pages**

**Chapter 12 A Woman's Embarrassment**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Hey everyone! Thank you all for your amazing reviews! I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and New Year. In all honesty, I thought mine was far too short. I had, what, two days off, before I had to go back to work?! Lol. Ah well, at least I got New Years off.**

**As for my musical muse today. It is completely orchestral. Hmm, I don't know why, but I have an extreme fascination with the 'Legend of Dragoon theme', and Contrafools Tour de Japon's 'FFVI Maria and Draco', 'Theme of Love' and 'Aeris' theme' on Youtube. They are all so beautifully dark and mesmerising. If anything, listening to such music makes me regret giving up my violin all those years ago. But ah well…que cera cera. Lol Life goes on and all that other whatnot. lol**

**Ahem anywho, enough of my ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

_**o0o0o0o**_

_**Across the unknown seas of Gaia…**_

_**o0o0o0o**_

'…_This…this is ridiculous…'_

'_I…'_

'_I cannot do this…'_

'…_No…not like this….'_

Those were the very thoughts, which pervaded the gunman's head, as he eyed each Avalanche team member with growing weariness. No sooner than Cloud had guided his team out of Wutai, and into their makeshift boat, he had wasted no time in accosting the Ex-Turk, clearly commanding Vincent to seek out their missing friend.

The ever-watchful eyes of his team-mates did little to help the gunman's concentration. They stared at Vincent with their unblinking eyes…expecting so much from him…. _Demanding_ too much from him.

The gunman closed his crimson eyes.

And his fingers clenched inside his lap.

'…_.I…'_

He could feel the sound of their rocking vessel; the lugubrious whisper of the waves, and the unnervingly high-pitched caws of the seagulls above his head. He could hear the annoying chipper of a certain Wutai princess, and the ugly discords of someone sneezing. His senses caught onto the sound of a lighter clicking, and the exaggerated sigh of somebody breathing. He heard the groaning gnaws of grinding teeth, and the repeated rubbing of worn leather against knuckled skin. There were sounds he could recognise and coloured scents that he did not even want to imagine. The clotting stench of salt. The toxic aroma of fresh Wutainese tobacco…

The gunman's thin brows knitted together in mounting frustration.

"………"

Vincent simply could not focus. His mind was awash with blank confusion. He was still emotionally drained from yesterday, however no amount of sleep could have ever made him recover for today.

However, despite all this….

Vincent still tried to search for the bright-eyed flower girl. Her energy signature was still memorably fresh in his head from that night he had stayed with her. His mind tried to seek out her coloured threads of pale pink interwoven with gentle green, to no avail.

The colourful souls of each Avalanche member blinded his inner vision. From wavering reds and burnt umbers, to cerulean blues and vigorous purple, Vincent was alarmed by this garden of pure colours, from which he could not escape. These colours surrounded him. Enclosing him. Imprisoning him in their morbid brightness. It was at this moment, that Vincent felt something at the back of his head; try to slowly awaken.

'…_Chaos…'_

The gunman's crimson eyes snapped open in surprise, his eyes widening slightly when a certain demanding blond haired swordsman filled his entire vision.

"Did you find her?" Cloud asked him ardently, despite the fact that he had been repeating the same question over and over again for the last hour and a half.

"No…" Vincent replied, weakly yet honestly. It was the only response he could give. The blond sighed wearily, already expecting such an answer from the taciturn gunman.

"Vincent, do you think if we moved the ship around, you may sense her somewhere else?" Cloud questioned, as he drew his broadsword from the water, aka his temporary makeshift oar.

'……'

"….perhaps…" the gunman answered with a visible amount of reluctance.

"Alright then, Cid lets take this ship further up North," Cloud commanded quietly as he plunged his stout blade back into the sea.

"Aye aye Spiko," The pilot replied cheerfully, as he moved his spear along side Cloud's with a little more gusto. His thin lips tightened to keep a grasp of the lit cigarette that was partly dangling from his mouth.

Barret huffed to himself, swiping away the dribbles of sweat from his forehead with his bare hand. "This is so gonna take forever. Are you sure der ain't no faster way we cud find Aeris Spikey?"

The blond in question, frowned. "I don't know," he remarked softly. "But for now, Vincent is our best and only choice in finding Aeris." Cloud admitted as he turned his gaze back upon the crimson-cloaked gunman.

The Ex-Turk tensed his clawed hand, and averted his dark crimson-eyed gaze to one side.

'…_If I am their best and only choice…then we have already failed…'_

Barret snorted, as if he heard the older gunman's inner thoughts.

"Can you feel her now?" Cloud called out softly.

"No…" Vincent drawled out quietly.

The 'ship' was moved a little more forward.

"Hey, How about now?" Cloud voiced out.

"No…." Vincent tiredly repeated.

The 'ship' was moved a little more to the East.

"Vincent? What about here?" Cloud voiced.

"……" The Ex-Turk negatively turned his head from side to side.

Two hours passed on.

"Here?"

"…no.."

"Here...?"

"………."

"Hey, what about over there?"

"…….."

Another hour passed.

"Here?"

Another shake of his head.

And the hours continued on….

Vincent felt his head nodding off. He had never liked being out at sea. However, the oscillating sounds of the waves had the power to lull his body into a false sense of comfort.

"Hey how about now?"

"……." The gunman did not even attempt to deign an answer.

This was getting beyond ridiculous.

"Vincent?"

The gunman closed his eyes, and moved a gloved hand to his temple. He exhaled breathlessly. Vincent longed to escape the watchful eyes, which surrounded him. He was getting fed up with hearing Cloud's voice, and seeing the wrong colours in his mind. A low groan escaped his clenched teeth.

"Oh. Did you say you found something Vincent?" the blond swordsman asked eagerly.

"…….." Vincent had to fight the urge to groan again. "……no." he muttered dismissively.

"Oh this is hopeless Cloud," Yuffie whined loudly, catching every Avalanche member by surprise. "We won't be able to find Aeris like this!"

The blond leader opened his mouth to speak.

"But-"

"No buts!-" Yuffie interrupted. "If we do things your way, we'll all end up searching the entire ocean, that is until we all die of potential starvation, and besides…" The ninja paused; transforming the glare on her face into a look of pure pity. "Poor Vinnie is sleepy! Come on guys, look at him!" Yuffie exclaimed while pointing at the now obviously startled gunman. "You've been pushing him too hard. I'm surprised he hasn't fainted from exhaustion and-"

The gunman placed his head in his hands, muffling a low derisive sound from his throat.

'_Leave it to Yuffie, to make everything seem so much worse…'_

"-aww, don't worry Vinnie. I'm here for ya," the Wutai princess finished in an annoyingly high-pitched, saccharine tone, leaping from her seated position to find one much closer to the groaning gunman. "I won't let Cloud and the others abuse you like this."

"Stop it Yuffie, you're embarrassing him," Tifa scolded, even though there was little bite to her tone. She had even noticed that Vincent seemed like he was about to nod off, sooner or later.

"Cloud?" Tifa began softly. "I think, Yuffie is right…."

The blond bit his lip, as he stared at the dark haired gunman.

"But Aeris…" Cloud began weakly.

"Why don't we try and get back on land, and let everyone get some rest first, before we make any more hasty decisions on what to do next." Tifa offered gently.

The blond frowned. He _really_ did not want to stop looking for Aeris….

"No," the swordsman decided with a slow shake of his head. "Let's continue on with the search. I'm sure Vincent will be able to find her soon."

"Cloud!" Tifa and Yuffie both exclaimed in unison, while Red, Cid and Barret all shook their heads in clear disagreement.

The dark gunman dipped his head down, and silently averted his eyes. He hated this responsibility….the confidence that Cloud and the others had placed in his questionable abilities. Abilities that he had never known he had possessed, until just a few days ago.

"So is that alright with you Vincent?" the blond asked.

The gunman refused to answer. It wasn't like he had a choice…

'Perhaps it would be wiser to direct your focus on what we can all do now…than what I _cannot_…' Vincent murmured to himself, before turning his gaze back to the empty sea.

"Then that's settled. Alright then, Cid, let's move towards the East."

Then Vincent voiced a question. A question that no one had ever thought of before.

"Cloud…why are you searching for Aeris…?"

The blond swordsman stared blankly at the gunman.

"?"

Cloud blinked.

'…_was….'_

'…_.that a joke?'_

"You should know why we are all looking for her," the swordsman answered slowly and with a quiet frown.

The gunman shook his head regretfully. "No…" he murmured softly. "…I do not know why _you_ wish to save her Cloud…"

The blond slapped a sweaty hand to his head. _'Maybe Yuffie and Tifa are right. Vincent really does need some rest. The sun has really made him lose his intelligence.'_

"We are looking for Aeris because she needs to be saved." The blond stated bluntly. "She was kidnapped and-"

"How do you know whether Aeris was truly kidnapped?" Vincent retorted in his low and lugubrious tone.

"…….."

A unnatural silence settled among the group of Avalanche.

"And who ever said that she needed rescuing?" the gunman continued in a slow and deep murmur. "Have you ever thought that Aeris left on her own free will? That she… wanted to be alone?"

"Don't be _**stupid**_."

The blond glared at the dark haired gunman.

"Aeris is our friend, and I know that wherever she is, she is in danger!" Cloud responded in a near shout, as his mako-tainted eyes flared an angry indigo.

"From the moment I met her, _danger_ was always attracted to her. The first time I saw her, Shinra tried to kidnap her. I had to become her bodyguard in order to protect her from the Turks!"

'_However I failed her then…'_

'…_and I failed her now…'_

The blond's eyes darkened in the realisation of his shame.

"The Turks have been after her for years. Shinra has been after for years. And Vincent, wasn't it you who saved her from Sephiroth?! The Ex-General of Shinra! No, Aeris didn't leave us…she was taken from us… and I would bet my right arm that Shinra has her! At this moment, I bet she is locked away in a cell, cold alone and frightened. Fearing for her life. Fearing the sounds outside her locked door. Unable to do nothing more than cry out to the empty walls, crying out for her bodyguard to save her…her promised protector…"

The blond paused, and turned his head away, to inhale an unsteady breath.

"Shinra is likely to treat her body and mind with pain and violence. They will interrogate her. They will force her to answer all their hate-ridden questions. And she will beg and plead for them to stop. But I know they will not stop! They will continue to force her, until they find out everything they want…even after it breaks her…"

The blond's eyes became haunted then, and his heart sank even further inside his chest.

"I only pray that she doesn't fall into the hands of Shinra's _**scientists**_. For then she will be treated like an animal. She **will** be _experimented_ on. She **will** be _tested_ on. She **will** be _crushed_ by their _insanity_. _Injected_ with their Mako treatments. Their countless shots. The blinding _**pain**_.. The _**hallucinations**_…Coughing up _streams_ of **blood**….and feeling your bones melting and breaking at the same time…."

'_Sir, please give me a number…'_

The blond swallowed uneasily and Vincent dipped his head downwards to his lap, to his gold and monstrous claw.

"I can't….I won't let _anyone_ hurt her." Cloud finished quietly.

The gunman's eyes darkened in all-knowing understanding, as the demons in his head painted him a story of the girl's potential suffering at the hands of Shinra.

His eyes flickered slightly as he remembered fingers, which were so pale and delicate, and a white palm... marred with a black hell-marked symbol... that had been written by the only man Vincent could regard as his own personal Satan. The gunman tightened his upper lip in consternation. Cloud was right. However Vincent knew that the blond was wrong with one thing...Shinra had already tainted Aeris' spirit.

And then the blond leader of Avalanche directed his murmured conversation towards the rest of his comrades.

"Like I said before, Aeris was born into a life of _danger_, and as we are all aware, she cannot save herself from Shinra. And since **we** are the _only_ ones, other than Shinra who know of her _existence_, if _**I**_ cannot…if **we** cannot rescue her from harm, then …"

The blond paused again to shake his head, before returning his gaze towards the Ex-Turk's face.

"Vincent… I made a _**promise**_ to Aeris. I made a promise to _**protect**_ her from Shinra. I _**cannot**_break my _**promise**_. So Vincent, if you still have the energy, can we look a little longer... even if it is just till nightfall…"

"…Cloud…" Vincent murmured softly, acquiescing himself to his fate. "Alright…" he consented, as he let his dark crimson eyes disappear beneath his long black lashes. Then voiding his soul of thought, and freezing his heart of emotion, the gunman tried once more to see the sliver of pink innocence, entwined with soothing slips of ephemeral green…

O0o0o0o

'…_No please…'_

'…_It can't be…'_

'…_Please, I don't think I can deal with this now…'_

The thought had occurred to her at least half an hour ago. However, Aeris had felt the symptoms long before then. There was a mounting tension in her lower stomach, clenching and clamping her insides into uncomfortable twists and curls of pain. The brunette had felt a nauseating need to eat something sickly sweet. She also had the needy urge to lay down somewhere soft, with a large and fluffy hot water bottle resting against her very sorry stomach.

"..."

Aeris knew that her body was giving her all the telltale signs and warnings of what was about to happen.

And Aeris knew that if she didn't do something soon...

Then she would be in dire peril.

For Aeris was in a situation that no woman would ever want to be in...

"..."

She was walking in a dense forest…

….with nothing but the bare clothes on her back…

…travelling with a boy she scarcely knew…

And…

….she

….she

…. she was feeling the symptons of her _**period**_…

It was times like these, that Aeris hated being a woman.

Clutching her yellow-feathered baby chick to her chest, Aeris tried to conceal her distress from her silver haired companion. However, the thought in itself was impossible. The more she tried to ignore the sensations of her body, only added to the growing stigma that if she didn't do something very very soon….she was going to end up humiliating herself, in a way that no woman would ever want to be humiliated in her entire lifetime.

'…_and these are my only pair of clothes…'_

Aeris winced in both growing fear and discomfort, as her inner muscles clenched and squeezed her lower abdomen, giving her an all knowing foresight of what was soon to occur.

She clenched her eyes shut and stopped walking.

'…_Of all the things to happen…'_

When Aeris next opened her eyes, her vision was filled with an all too familiar face framed with ivory locks; staring back at her with a soft, inquiring gaze. "Mother? Is something wrong?" Kadaj asked in a voice, which unveiled an unnatural depth of concern.

The brunette's eyes bulged at the sight of the young teen's probing eyes. Fearful of Kadaj noticing her embarrassing situation, Aeris averted her eyes and said the first thing, which came to mind.

"No. Nothing's wrong...Just...I'm just… thirsty?" Aeris lied, frantic to get the teen's attention away from her. She did not think she could bear the humiliation if he noticed a stain on her dress that really should not be there.

"Thirsty?" the teen questioned aloud, his tone voicing the doubt he held in his mind; that his Mother would get so worked up over something which he deemed a fairly trivial matter. However, Kadaj, being the eager teen he was, and wanting to please his beloved Mother, dropped swiftly to his knees and began rummaging through his bag.

"I've got some milk-"

"**No**…" Aeris growled through gritted teeth, shaking her head, feeling her eyes start to well up with tears of frustration.

Her gnarled tone caught the younger male by surprise, and his eyes expressed the shock he felt.

"Um….what would you like Mother?" Kadaj asked uneasily.

The brunette squeezed her eyes shut.

'_A box of tampons or even a few pads will be fine.'_

'_..Or maybe a noose to hang myself with…'_

_'..Whatever comes out of your bag first...'_

The brunette shook her head, trying to negate her growing apprehension.

"I'll be fine Kadaj," Aeris stated with a calmness that she did not feel. "Let's continue on."

"I've got a flask of water Mother," Kadaj pressed on, as he lifted the unopened drink out of his bag.

'…_yeah of course you do…I bet you have everything you need in that bloody bag. You probably have a four-course meal and-'_

The brunette's darkened thoughts stilled instantly, as she thought about the implications of her words.

_"!"_

'…_..it could be possible right?'_

'…_and maybe if it isn't what I need, then there might be something of a similar equivalent…'_

The brunette's eyes flittered from the drink in the teen's hands and then at the bag on the floor.

'_However I'd be too embarrassed to search for some sanitary pads right in front of this kid.'_

'…_no I could never do that…'_

'…_.However if I could think of a way….'_

'…_to lure Kadaj away…?'_

The brunette's lips twitched.

'…_.yes…'_

'…_. I need to think of a way to make Kadaj disappear for a little while…'_

'…_.so I can have full access to his bag…'_

Aeris gnawed her lip in silent contemplation, and then her eyes settled back upon the liquid offering in the teen's outstretched hand…

And then a brilliant thought came to her.

"Thanks Kadaj," Aeris answered in her sweetest tone as she plucked the black flask out of Kadaj's pale fingers, before passing Kwee-Kwee into the teen's befuddled arms. "You are such a dear… " she added as an afterthought, watching in slight amusement as the teen's frowning lips suddenly flipped upwards into a beaming grin.

'_He is so eager to please…'_

'…_Hn…maybe this will be easier than I thought…'_

Unscrewing the lid off the flask, Aeris made an elaborate motion of pouring herself a drink, before slowly and carefully raising the cup to her lips. All the while, her eyes remained fixed on the green-eyed teen standing before her.

However when she was just about to take her first sip…she stopped.

"What's wrong Mother. Is the water not to your liking?" Kadaj voiced out; his smile waning due to the brunette's extended silence.

Bright, emerald green eyes sent Kadaj her most cruellest glare that she could manage. "No," Aeris answered in her most coldest tone. "No it is not."

The teen paled instantly, and his eyes widened in surprise. His expression could have almost been funny, if it wasn't for the fact that he appeared so deeply hurt by the brunette's words.

"Is it because the water is too cold, too warm? Or is it not fresh enough to your liking? We passed a river not too long ago; we could go back and get you some if you wish it Mother."

Aeris frowned. If she went with Kadaj, that would ruin the whole point of trying to get him away from her.

"Wouldn't it be faster if you went to get it yourself?" she voiced in a clearly harsh and no nonsense tone.

"W-why, of course," Kadaj agreed quickly, confused and startled with the change of his Mother's attitude. "I'll go and get it right now," he replied; as he bent down to pull his inventory bag over his shoulder.

The brunette's eyes widened in alarm.

"NO!"

The teen's entire body went as brittle as a board. His wide green eyes, dilated at the sight of the fiery eyed woman standing before him.

"Why are you taking your bag with you?!" Aeris snapped harshly.

Kadaj blinked, looking from his bag and then back to his scowling Mother.

The teen's brows furrowed in growing confusion.

"I…" Kadaj tentatively began, not knowing what to say to the narrowed green eyes, which were staring at him with such anger…and with such disapproval. Thinking it would not be wise to continue his words any further; the teen shrugged his bag from his body, dropping it to the ground with a careless thud.

Seeing the renewed approval in his Mother's eyes, Kadaj inwardly sighed in relief. He did not know what he did before to invite his Mother's wrath upon him, but he was glad to see that the angry flare had abated from her eyes.

Then with lowered eyes, the teen bent down to pick up the lidless flask from the floor.

"I'll be back Mother. I promise I will return as _swiftly_ as I can…" Kadaj confirmed vehemently, before pivoting on his foot and sprinting out of sight. However, due to his haste to please his Mother, the teen was unaware that he was still holding the sleeping Kwee-kwee inside his arms.

No sooner than his black and ivory form disappeared into the forest, Aeris lunged for the leather bag, almost tearing the entire lid off in reckless desperation. She pulled out item after item. Tool after tool. Her fumbling fingers chucked out random bottles, and other knick-knacks, which served little purpose to her womanly needs.

"…Blanket. Another Blanket. Bottle. Empty bottle. Boiled Sweets...Huh? Tinned soup…"

Aeris gritted her teeth in irritation. She could not understand how Kadaj could keep so much stuff in such a relatively small bag. Taking her hands out of the bag, the brunette grasped the edges and suddenly flipped the bag upside down, watching as everything fell out onto the grassy ground below.

Then like a deranged animal, the flower girl dropped to her hands and knees, and accosted every item she found. Digging and throwing each useless item from her vision. She plundered the teen's inventory.

And then her eyes caught a flash of cream.

And what Aeris saw, had more value to her than a block of pure gold.

"Bandages!" Aeris screeched out in excitement, as she stared at the huge roll of cream toned fabric. It was much more than she could have ever hoped. Even if they were not tampons, Aeris was sure they would work well as a makeshift pad.

'…especially if I bunch them together…' the brunette thought to herself, as she stared down at the treasure in her hands, totally oblivious to the destruction that was littered around her.

Warily flicking her eyes from the left and the right, Aeris checked to see that no one was looking. Then leaning back on her heels, the brunette began to undo a few buttons from her dress, from the waist down. Her thin pale hand slid beneath the pink fabric, and her fingers slipped inside her white cotton panties. Removing them as quickly as she could, Aeris tried to keep the grimace off her face as she lifted her fingers to her disgusted vision. However as soon as her eyes saw her fingers, her eyes lightened in pure relief. There was no crimson discharge smearing her fingers. However, Aeris knew that the stomach cramps were merely shadowing the inevitable. Fortunately, her own body was able to warn her in time when her cycle was near. Giggling to herself, more in relief than anything else, Aeris turned her attention back to her bandages, contemplating the best way to tend to the situation when…

"Mother!"

Kadaj's startled cry of horror caused the brunette to drop the bandages to her lap in pure fright.

'_Oh God! Why did he have to return so quickly?'_

Whipping her head around, in a speed that nearly gave her whiplash, Aeris stared at the silver haired boy that had entered the clearing. With a flask in hand, and a chirping birdie in the other, Kadaj was the last thing that Aeris had wanted to see.

Aeris watched as Kadaj's flashing green gaze flittered from his upturned bag, his items all thrown haphazardly across the ground and then at her with an unaccountable amount of alarm.

And then his eyes felt to the item in the brunette's lap.

And the teen's eyes dilated.

"!"

In a flash Kadaj was kneeling beside her.

"Mother? What's wrong? What happened? You're hurt? Who hurt you Mother?"

Kadaj was reeling one question after another. Not even pausing for a single breath.

"You're hurt! You're hurt!" He kept on chanting, as he dumped the flask on the ground along with Kwee-kwee, to grasp onto one of the brunette's arms. "Oh Mother! Where are you bleeding? Where are you in pain?"

Aeris balked, however Kadaj was oblivious. Instead, he thought Aeris' response was more to do with her pain than her shame.

And then Kadaj plucked the bandages from out of the brunette's lap, much to her horror.

However Kadaj was oblivious of her reaction.

For he, himself was positively frightened. "I tried to return as quickly as I could. But I was still not fast enough! I'm so sorry Mother. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you!"

He bowed his head down in shame and his hand tightened on the brunette's upper arm.

"I only took three minutes Mother! I only took three! I should have been faster. I should have known that you would be in danger! That everyone wants to try and take you away from me! That everyone out there wants to hurt you!"

Kadaj was hyperventilating and finding it difficult to breathe.

Aeris had long ago lost the ability to talk.

Embarrassment had clouded her entire being.

"Where did they go Mother? Did you kill them? I hope you did, for if not, I will avenge you. Just tell me what they looked like and-"

Kadaj paused, and began violently shaking his head.

"No, I can't leave you again. Someone else may try to harm you! Where did they hurt you Mother? Tell me so I can make the pain go away."

The look of his face was torturously pained and full of anguish.

"I'm alright." It was the first thing that Aeris could even think to say.

"I'll heal you Mother. Just let me find my curative materia and you'll be fine," the teen rambled, as his narrowed eyes searched the grounds, before finding the glinting piece of green halfway hidden beneath a packet of unopened tissues. Snatching it from the ground, Kadaj drew the orb to his chest and willed the materia to life. It did not take long for Aeris to feel the all too familiar sensation of powerful curative magic flowing through her veins.

"Is that better now Mother?" Kadaj asked, after dropping the materia to the ground. "I used a Cure 3. Has the pain gone now?"

Aeris opened and closed her mouth in voiceless surprise.

"Err…"

"I can try again if you wish Mother," Kadaj offered. "Has the wound closed, or are you still bleeding Mother? Where are you bleeding Mother? Would you like me to staunch the flow Mother?"

Aeris placed her face inside her hands, too embarrassed for words.

"Why are you holding your head Mother?"

"Does it hurt?"

"Would you like me to massage the pain away?"

That was the final straw.

"That's enough Kadaj!"

Kadaj stared wide eyed in surprise. "But Mother?"

"But Mother this? But Mother that? Mother! Mother! Mother! Mother! Gods Kadaj shut up, before I shut you up myself!" Aeris snapped as she pushed the teen away from her. Her face was flamed red in a visual cocktail of embarrassment and anger.

"But Mot-" the teen began, however the brunette's angry glare silenced him.

"Just go away. Get lost! Leave me alone! Stop being so nosy and mind your own bu-"

Aeris was unable to finish her sentence as a sudden cramp in her lower abs caused the brunette to hiss a curse of surprise, and her body hunched over to fight the pain. She wrapped her arms protectively over her stomach, biting her lip in clear distress.

"Mother!" Kadaj cried as he moved around her hunched over form like an pesky dog, sniffling around her, as if he could lock onto the source of his Mother's pain. His green eyes searched for blood, and his dark fingers wandered over her prone form.

It was only when his long gloved hands found their way to the brunette's lower stomach, that Aeris hitched in a frightened breath and instinctively moved away from the teen's unwelcome touch. However, Kadaj kept his hand in place. In fact, he added a little more pressure, so that even through the layers of pink cotton and black leather; they could both feel the heat of each other's skin against their own.

"Is…your pain _**here**_ Mother?" Kadaj murmured, as he raised his soft green eyes upwards to stare into his Mother's drastically whitened face.

Mollified, Aeris tried to pull the teen's hand away from her stomach to no avail.

"Stop it Kadaj! There's nothing wrong with me, now let go!" Aeris yelled, stumbling backwards in her desperation to get from the silver haired teen, nearly tripping over his bag in the process.

"Mother?!" Kadaj cried out in alarm, as he continued to follow the brunette's movements, fearful for his Mother's safety.

"No! Stop! Stay there! Don't come any closer!" Aeris cried out, with an obvious taste of hysteria in her voice.

The teen complied with his Mother's wishes in an instant. However his face still appeared rather baffled and visibly worried.

"Mother…" Kadaj voiced out feebly, as his eyes glinted with unseen tears. His fingers began to loosen around the roll of bandages.

And that was the precise moment that the flower-girl struck.

Lunging forward, Aeris swiped the bandages from the teen's fingers and scuttled backwards.

When it appeared like Kadaj was about to move after her, the brunette raised her free hand upwards.

"Don't even dare come near me!" she threatened with all the malice of an angry Mother, all the while moving backwards.

"But Mother-" Kadaj pleaded weakly. "I only want to help you."

"Oh just shove it," Aeris interrupted hotly, trying to further the distance between them.

"If you want to help me, then you should accept the fact that when a woman wants her own privacy... SHE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE AROUND!!"

The teen's brows furrowed darkly. "But you are in pain Mother and-"

Dash her embarrassment.

Aeris had had enough.

"I'm having my 'P.E.R.I.O.D' you silly nit-wit!"

The forest suddenly went very very quiet..

And then there was a pregnant pause.

Then very slowly…

Kadaj blinked…

And then the most curiously innocent expression settled across his beautifully boyish features.

"Your period? What is a period Mother?"

"………."

In that moment, Aeris realised yet another startling similarity between the strange silver haired boy and her lovable nightmare that was her Sephiroth.

And it called her blood to boil into a mindless frenzy.

"Oh for all of Mother Gaia's mercy! What is it with all you stupid silver haired men?!" Aeris all but raged, on a verge of an emotional breakdown. "OOOHH! I bet you expect me to explain what a period is too, right? Well, my answer is NO! This is too much. This is just too much to bear! Oh, I give up! I simply give up! I've had enough of people like you and Sephiroth, who have such a selective knowledge of sex, despite the fact that you have both learnt the entire book of fondling! Grraah! And I've had enough of walking around bare footed in this stupid forest, having nothing with me other than the clothes on my back. I've had enough of this foolishness! And I've have had enough of you!"

The brunette whipped her entire body around, ready to make her leave.

And then silver haired teen took a tentative step forward, and opened his mouth to make a reply.

However, Aeris turned her head to glare at the boy

And her look could have frightened off a ruby dragon.

Kadaj snapped his jaw shut.

And then Aeris stomped off, leaving a positively stunned, and visibly traumatised silver haired teen in her wake.

**Author's notes**

**Heh. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter. I kinda reminded me of a certain other chappie that I wrote in TLAA1. Hn, I think I like the idea how Kadaj and Sephiroth both react different to similar situations. Lol.**

**Don't forget to review you guys. It really does make my day. Oh and for you guys who are on Myspace, I have redecorated my page. Heh. I think some of you A/S fans may like it. Lol If anyone doubted me losing my liking for A/S. lets just say I have put all the rumours to rest. Lmao.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**P.S**

**Any questions or comments?**

**Feel free to notify me by email or Myspace. lol**


	13. Requiem for a dream

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**5558 words**

**19 pages**

**Chapter 13 Requiem for a dream**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**4th Feb. Happy Birthday to me… Well, the epithet of happiness doesn't really apply since I'm feeling pretty miserable. Both physically and emotionally. And I think I'm coming down with something. Hopefully it isn't bird flu, (afterall, it is now officially inside the country) lol. **

**Anywho, as for my musical muse… I'm listening to 'Requiem for a dream'. Gods, the music in that film is so unbearably haunting. Especially the 'Winter' version done by Lux Aeterna. It so screams of insanity and Sephiroth. It's so beautiful and dark. It's full of anguish and passion. I have rarely listened to a piece of music, which can ignite my inspiration so quickly as Mansell's works.**

**Anywho...enough of my ramblings...**

**And on with the fic!**

_He could hear it…_

_There was a pulse._

_He could hear a pulse in his head._

_And it was getting stronger and stronger…._

_He thought it was his heart._

_But no…_

_The sound was far too loud._

_And it did not seem to come from the insides of his body._

_No… Cloud realised._

_This sound was external._

_And so he slowly opened his eyes._

"_..?"_

_And all he could see was darkness…_

_The blond was standing in a void of breathless silence._

_Raising his right hand to his face, Cloud tried to stare at his gloved fingers, to no avail. The cold pitch-blackness had eclipsed his entire vision of all shape and colour. His entire body was shrouded within this map-less black void. He felt like it was melting inside of it._

_He was standing inside the colour of all nightmares…_

_And yet…_

_The darkness did not make the blond feel grief, pain, or even the smallest slip of pining sorrow._

_No…_

_Instead…_

_The darkness comforted him._

_It welcomed him and sheltered him._

_And that was all Cloud had ever wanted._

_For there was no cumbersome colour to distort his vision. No large bladed weapon to burden his shoulders. No crimson blood. No sharpened silver or devilish green to haunt his vision._

_The blond's lips twitched softly._

_And his eyes fell shut in sinless rapture._

_Cloud had always loved __**dreaming**__. For it was the only time when his mind could truly be at peace with himself. Cloud knew that with dreams like these, he could always escape away from the dark devilish backdrops of reality, to then lapse backwards into a soft gentle landscape of his own creative fantasy. If he so wished, Cloud could choose to live in his own loving loneliness, so alike to the reality of what he lived in today. Alternatively, if he truly wanted to, Cloud could make a world that was his to control by his own true will. If he so wanted, he could create an artificial warmth. He could paint the skies to silver and the lands to orange if he merely wished it to be. The blond knew he could surround himself within a populace of his own making. He could create a world where only the most beautiful could stand beside him. He would live in a place where people could only love and adore him. A place…where no one could express any hatred…or feel any pain…_

_The blond sighed blissfully._

_Cloud had always loved the power of his __**imagination**__, and the freedom that it could bring. For Cloud knew that one could never truly fear a thought, if it was created by one's own mind. Fantasy had much more of a sensual attraction compared to the cruel fatalities, which occurred in the dark stretches of reality._

_The blond slowly wrapped his arms around his body, as he let his mind descend into the blissful lies of dreams that could never be._

_Cloud was cocooned inside the memories of his own making. If he wanted to, he could enter a dream or relive a nightmare. He could become his own nightmare if he so wished it._

_Or he could become his own erotic fantasy._

_Cloud could imagine himself on a bed, spooned beside his secret chocolate-eyed love. He could envision lips and heated mouths. Thighs brushing thighs. Breasts touching chests. Bold hands gliding from soft hairs, to even softer flesh, rising ever slowly towards the hidden recesses of treasures that have yet to be seen or plundered by any other touch but his own._

_The blond shuddered._

_And then the blond's thoughts twisted into another direction._

_Heated internal passions melted away at the thought of an artic cold mountain. And then Cloud envisioned a gaggle of long legged boys with familiar faces. He could envision them teasing him and taunting him with cruel words that were far too familiar..._

_And then the memory of '__**The**__**Horror'**__ appeared. The first horror he had ever witnessed when he was but a young boy._

_Cloud remembered that day as if it was yesterday…_

_That cold and dreadful day…_

_When he knelt himself down on his puny bony knees. Knees, which were scratched and nicked with miniscule cuts and pitiful wounds._

_He could even remember the way he stared…._

_How his young blue eyes stared out into the blearily cold white snow._

_To see her…_

_The body of a dark haired girl who looked no older than thirteen, lying facedown on the ground. Her body lay sprawled, broken, and lifeless to the blond's young and blurry vision._

'…_Tifa!!!'_

_The blond snapped his eyes open._

_And his vision returned back to his all-knowing darkness._

"_?"_

_But then Cloud suddenly stilled._

_And his eyes widened to immeasurable levels of surprise._

_For the blond could see something that he would have never expected to see…_

_There was a __**colour **__in the far depths, in his world of eternal darkness._

"_!"_

_A colour that he knew should not be there._

_It was her colour._

_A soft __**pink**__ rose._

_The colour of a flower, which seemed almost afraid to bloom._

"_Aeris?"_

_The sound of childlike laughter filled his head._

_It was the laughter of an innocent._

_And Cloud raced after it._

_The pink glow grew more vivid as Cloud ran closer to where the colour clashed so greatly against the walls of his blackened solitude. The pure colour stained his thoughts. He tried to grab onto it. However, when his gloved fingers were just about to touch the pink hued shade, the colourful whisper pulled away a moment too early. And no matter what the swordsman tried, the colour always eluded the blond's outstretched grasp._

_The laughter too…had disappeared…._

_And at that moment when Cloud had realised the loss of laughter from within his mind…_

_The laughter began once more…._

_However, this time, it did not sound like it was coming from above, below or around him…_

_Instead…_

_The laughter sounded like it was coming from right __**behind**__ him! Swivelling his head around, the blond searched into the unseeing darkness, trying to find the source of where the sound came from…_

_But he could not see anything…_

_And then the blond turned around._

_To almost jump back in pure shock._

_**Aeris**__ was standing right before him, wearing a small pretty grin, which tugged cutely at the corners of her small pink tinged lips. She looked so beautiful, what with the way she could so happily stand in front of the pale haired swordsman, like a beacon of light opposed to his ever-eternal darkness._

_The blond stared enraptured, as the green-eyed beauty raised a dainty hand to gesture him in closer._

_And Cloud did move closer._

_In fact, Cloud lunged towards the grinning brunette…_

_He reached his arms outwards, ready to draw the petite girl to his side…_

_To then find himself on the ground…?_

"_?!?"_

"_Tee hee hee…"_

_The blond felt the floor beneath his hands, and he whipped his head around, from his knelt position, to stare at the flower girl who had now materialised quite some distance than where she was standing before. Aeris was holding a hand to her lips, barely hiding the cheeky smile that was blooming beneath her pale fingers. If Cloud had any doubts where the former laughter came from, they had all but been forgotten. Swiftly rising himself to his feet, the blond began to move towards Aeris._

_However…_

_The closer Cloud moved towards her, the further Aeris would draw away._

_Stopping when he realised what game the girl was playing, Cloud opened his mouth to call out her name in confusion._

_Then suddenly, Aeris pivoted on her foot and turned her back towards the clearly befuddled blond. Then slightly tilting her head to one side, the brunette gazed at the blond from the corner of one eye._

_And then Aeris smiled fondly…_

_Winked cheekily…_

_And ran away._

_All in the space of a two seconds._

_The blond blinked, as his mind progressed what was going on about him._

_His dream had turned into a race._

_The glow of flowers blossomed across the floor, and before Cloud knew it, he was sprinting across an open field of blooming colours, after a giggling flower-girl._

"_Aeris!" Cloud called out in repeated plea. The brunette was so fast. The blond pushed his entire body forwards for all that it was worth. He forced the mako beneath his skin to stretch his body beyond its own personal restraints._

_And Cloud did run faster…_

…_.he was running __**much**__ faster than he had ever ran before…_

_And when Cloud was almost there…_

_When he was just about to touch her hand…_

_An invisible force violently shoved him backwards, causing a flurry of golden flower petals to explode across his startled vision._

"_?!"_

_The blond tried to rise from his fallen position; however, his body refused to obey him. It felt as if someone had taken control over him. His limbs were locked within a supine position of pure weakness. The only thing he could do was move his head from side to side._

_The glow of the flowers continued to hum around him, teasing him with their sweet innocence of an unforgettable summer, while Cloud was left incapacitated inside their soft and majestic shades of pure brilliance._

_And all the while, the blond's tainted mako eyes watched as the running pink nymph faded away in the distance._

_Cloud's eyes widened dramatically, as he used all of his inner strength to pull himself upwards and into a sitting position._

"_Aeris!" Cloud cried out desperately._

"_Aeris! Come back!" he called out once more, as he struggled to get himself to his feet._

"_Aeris! Aeris!"_

_The pink blur was getting even smaller._

_Cloud was unaware that the pale blue tinted sky behind him had suddenly turned to a strange pitch black._

"_AERIS!"_

_And then the sound of __**laughter**__ once more filled the clearing._

"_Heh hehe heh heh heh"_

_However, this laughter was so unlike the light hearted giggling that the blond had heard earlier before. No… This sound….its all too familiar timbre…had infiltrated itself into the very pores of Cloud's pale white skin. It was a maliciously warm sound, which stirred thoughts of a nightmare that had happened over five years ago._

_It fuelled the blond's mind with visions of fire and smoke._

_Of blood and ash staining both the ground and the sky._

_And of mutilated corpses, lying broken across the burning ground._

_And of __**screams**__!_

_Of agonising, tortured screams…The inhuman screeching of young innocents who cried out their agonies, as their skin was scorched away from their very bones, and the life was bled away from their burning bodies!_

_"!"_

_The sound of footsteps alerted the blond that someone was behind him._

_Cloud felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck, and the blond knew that if he could have moved his body, his hands would have instinctively tried to grope his back for a sword that he knew was not within his possession. He didn't know why…but Cloud knew…instinct told him that the being who now stood behind him, was the source of the dark and eerie laughter he had just heard._

_And in that moment, Cloud was almost glad that he was partly paralysed, for it meant that he had an excuse, other than raw fear, as to why he could not turn his body around to face the nightmare that was standing right behind him._

_For Cloud knew exactly __**when **__and__** where**__ he had heard that terrible sound before._

_And it was in a time and place that he had never ever wanted to truly remember._

_5 years ago…_

_Nibelheim…_

_**The nightmare…**_

_The throbbing pulse in the blond's head began to awaken once more. It was the violent rhythm of a heart getting ready for death. The blond clenched his teeth and fingers, trying to eradicate the pounding drums in his head. A rhythm, which screamed out for death and vengeance._

_The blond concentrated so hard to rid himself of the sounds in his head. But the painful pulse transformed into an entire concerto. He had a song playing in dedication of that ill fated night five years ago. Of that night when the sky was stained with the fire's of hell, and death was either granted by crimson fire, or by 'His' silver blade. Cloud could not fight the song of death, and so he gave into its sinister melody._

_The blond shuddered._

_And closed his eyes._

'_No…this is a dream…just a memory…a dream cannot hurt me…a dream cannot hurt me-' Cloud repeatedly murmured to himself, chanting his mind into an artificial calmness. 'I can control my dreams…and they do not control me… '_

_And then slowly…very slowly…Cloud turned…with his eyes still closed…to face his nightmare..._

_And then they opened…_

_But what Cloud saw…_

_Nearly __**killed**__ him…._

_He had expected to see Sephiroth. He had already envisioned the apostate angel, garbed in the colours of unwelcome death. His unholy armour glinting in the shades of moonlit silver. He had already expected to see the narrowed cat like gaze, and the thin lips revealing a small deceptive smile of ill delight. He knew that he would see the flames of death surrounding the tainted angel, and the unnaturally silver locks, which would dance to the colours of the bloody air around him._

_Yes, Cloud expected all of this…_

_But…_

_What Cloud did not expect…_

_Was for Sephiroth to be holding a certain someone in his arms. A certain pretty pink dressed someone, with glittering green eyes, and luscious brown hair pinned in her trademark hairstyle!_

_And this certain familiar someone had a very sweet smile on her lips…_

_But the smile was not directed at Cloud…_

_No…_

_It was directed at 'Him'!!_

_Aeris was staring at Sephiroth as if he was her own sparkling angel._

"_**Enjoy this puppet." **__Dark lips twisted into a parody of a smile. "__**For what you see is reality."**_

_And Cloud could do little more than stare in horror as Sephiroth's dark mouth descended upon the flower girl's parted lips. Cloud was aware of the moment the invisible restrains returned to clamp down upon his defenceless body._

_The blond's eyes widened even further and his hands grew lax, as he watched Aeris respond to the swordsman's lascivious ways. Cloud watched as __**his**__ dark gloved hands moved boldly across the brunette's lean form, with a rampant wantonness that made the blond burn with an all growing shameful anger._

_And it only began to become all the more painful when he realised that the only weapon he had was his voice._

"_Sephiroth!" Cloud cried out in dismay. "Sephiroth let go of Aeris!"_

_But the silver haired swordsman did not listen, for he was too absorbed with plundering the brunette's more than willing mouth._

_The sight was too much for the blond to bear._

"_Sephiroth! I said LET GO OF HER!" Cloud screamed._

_The blond's cry was answered with a small, dark chortle of amusement. The swordsman's lips curled up with wicked humour as they sucked their way across the brunette's clearly visible clavicle._

'_That bastard…'_

_Cloud knew that the forsaken angel was provoking him._

_The realities of whether his mind was still dreaming or not was lost on the blond. All his instincts were screaming at him to wrench the silver haired bastard away from his friend, and beat his satanistically pretty face to ground._

"_SEPHIROTH!" Cloud screeched, as he pulled at his invisible bindings._

_But the blond's body was far too weak to break them._

_However… his loud cry caused the pale haired villain to pause in his lascivious dance of seduction. Slowly, the swordsman's mint tainted eyes moved from the brunette in the arms, to glide upwards to the raging blond. A narrow silver brow quirked up in mild bemusement._

"_**Yes…?" **__Sephiroth questioned in a low dark timbre. His eyes were filled with dark mirth. __**"Was there something you wanted…Cloud?"**_

_The lust in the swordsman's eyes was disgustingly apparent, and for a moment, Cloud lost all sense that he was living inside of a dream._

_To Cloud it did not matter if he was dreaming anymore or not._

_All the blond knew was that he refused to let Sephiroth violate Aeris in such a disgusting manner… Whether in reality or in his dreams. The thought of seeing such an unspeakable evil…desecrating such innocence…knowing how it wanted to __**penetrate**__ such innocence…_

_The perverse implication of his thoughts caused the blond's vision to blur with barely restrained tears of pent up fury._

_The dark swordsman's calm, cold eyes pierced through all of the blond's inner defences. __**"I thought not…" **__the silver haired angel answered simply, unable to hide the teasing intent out of his tone._

_And then the dark cloaked swordsman's attention went back to the brunette lying in his arms._

"_NO! STOP! SEPHIROTH!!!"_

_But Sephiroth did not listen. In fact, he began moving his dark gloved hands towards very dangerous territory. When the first two buttons on Aeris' dress came undone, Cloud nearly lost all hope in his entire being._

"_Aeris!" Cloud exclaimed, as he raised his hand to his head. He did not want to see this. He could not..._

_He clenched his eyes shut, trying to restrain the tears, which he knew, were already falling. However, even though he could not see them, the all too recognisable sucking sound of lips on flesh was breaking the blond's heart to pieces._

"_Aeris! Please! Try to fight him! Get away from him! He's dangerous Aeris! He's a murderer!" Cloud screamed out, tossing his head from side to side._

"_**She doesn't need you Cloud," **__Sephiroth stated coolly, as he began stroking the girl's soft, pale neck with his now un-gloved fingertips. __**"I can give her all that she needs. I will give her everything I have…"**_

'…_**unlike you… after all…what can a useless puppet like you give for her…'**_

'…_**you couldn't even protect her…'**_

'…_**..heh…you're pathetic…'**_

'…_**and…so very weak…'**_

_Cloud sagged to the floor, not even bothering to hide the shameful tears that were now dribbling down his tortured face._

'…_**my poor little puppet…'**_

"…_**.are you good for anything other than failure?"**_

_The tears were now falling down thick and fast. The blond was clenching the sides of his head, biting his lips until he thought he tasted blood._

"…_**hmm…"**_

"…_**.now that is a thought…"**_

_Cloud was no longer paying attention to anything. He wanted to return to his personal darkness. He wanted to get away from the nightmares in his head._

"_**Perhaps you may have a use to me after all…"**_

_The blond was unaware when the dark angel had actually moved._

_He was unaware of the moment when Aeris had moved to his left side._

_And Cloud was unaware of the moment when Sephiroth's long fingers reached out towards him._

_What Cloud was aware of…_

_Was when those long leather-cased fingers enveloped his vision…_

_And in that moment, Cloud became assaulted by images of the most emotional intensity. He saw things, which were created far beyond the makings of his own imagination._

_A rocking wooden __**bridge**__._

_And an old __**temple**__ overgrown with thorns._

_A strange __**key**__._

_And a room of __**glyphs**__._

_A falling __**meteor**__._

_And an unknown __**materia**__…_

……_._

_The __**black**__…__**materia**__?_

_Then Aeris.._

_And him…_

_Aeris…?_

_And Him!_

_The black materia…_

_And __**Him**__!!_

_The materia!_

_Then Aeris!_

_The materia!_

_And Aeris!_

_The materia!_

_And Aeris!_

_The materia!_

_And…?_

"AERIS!"

_Cloud screamed aloud._

_And his dream-world shattered to pieces._

Cloud threw himself up into a seated position. His heart was panting with overexerted emotion. His eyes were wide and frantic in the darkness. Whipping the blanket off his sweat drenched form, the blond haired warrior tried to control the painful pounding at the back of his head.

In the darkness, he searched for his packet of painkillers. He nearly sobbed, when he found out that the box was empty. Tossing the box away, the swordsman clambered outside of his lone tent, trying to breathe air into lungs, which were desperately struggling to find enough oxygen. Vigorously scratching his head with his bare hands, the golden haired warrior paced around in the darkness, uncaring how he was bare-chested, and entirely exposed to the cold and bitter winds.

There was only one thought going through his head.

'…_What the…what the fuck was all that?'_

Walking barefooted across the cool grass, the blond paused his movements to carelessly flop his body down on the nearest rock. With his hands cradling his throbbing head, Cloud tried to assuage himself from the pain by focusing on the dream…the _**nightmare**_ he had just experienced.

Cloud knew that it was sheer folly to think much about the meaning of dreams.

Nightmares were an internal representation of one's fears.

An artificial reality… or a frightening fantasy

The blond inhaled slowly and deeply.

"It was just a dream," Cloud murmured to himself. "Just a dream…"

The blond closed his eyes shut.

However, his mind could still see the flashing images. Of Aeris. Of Sephiroth. Of them together. He could remember his feelings of anger and disgust. Of fury…and his immense sadness. But above all else. Cloud remembered his feelings of pure _weakness_…of being so helpless…unable to do anything but watch the repulsive performance of Sephiroth debasing an innocent flower-girl._'…Innocent…Aeris acted far from innocent…'_

'…_no…instead. she acted more like a slu-'_

'………_.'_

The swordsman fiercely shook his head.

'…_No…'_

'…_.it was a dream…it was just a dream…'_

'…_..dreams are not reality…'_

'…_.and reality are not dreams…'_

'………_but…'_

'…_.…'_

'…_..those things I saw at the end…'_

'…_that strange old __**temple**__…and the __**materia**__…?'_

'…_the __**black**__**materia**__..'_

'…_.what did they all mean?'_

'…_If they actually meant anything at all…'_

'………_..'_

Cloud shook his head sadly.

'…Maybe I should talk to the others about it tomorrow…' The blond sighed to himself as his soft and lonely eyes turned upwards to greet the cloudless night sky.

'…_**Aeris**_…'

0o0o0o0o0

**The Sanctuary…**

0o0o0o0o0

How long had he been here? Living in this silent world? In this world of pure perfection. Living in this pseudo paradise which completely surrounded him. This false purgatory, which brought no comfort to him. Where he could do nothing else but wait…

And Yazoo had forgotten how long he had been truly waiting.

Or why he was even waiting.

Was it for a sign?

A warning?

An upcoming battle?

Yazoo sighed softly and swept his fingers through his long ivory locks, which danced in the fake breeze. He was sitting on a fake bench, overlooking a fake sea that was parted from the fake coast, by the fake sand, which dared to greet it.

'Yes _**fake**_…' Yazoo murmured distantly to himself.

And indeed, it was. For everything around him was fake. Yazoo knew that everything in this world was living in a strange _false_ existence.

And it was a world that '_**He**_' had created.

A world that was a figment of '_**His**_' _perfect_ imagination.

An artificial promised land, otherwise known as **'The Sanctuary'.**

Kadaj had told him once, that The Sanctuary was merely a temporary haven. Their 'safe house', as he had called it. Its only purpose was protect all those who were worthy to attend the Reunion. A Reunion, which seemed as dull as it was never-ending.

A lifeless sigh escaped from Yazoo's pale lips. Lips which had very rarely expressed the effort to move upwards into a smile, or droop downwards to a frown.

Yazoo felt as lifeless as the world he was living in.

Leaning back upon the stone white bench, and clad in cold black leather, Yazoo sighed again.

He had noticed how he had been thinking a lot more lately, and since the pale haired male knew that he never the type to think too much of anything, it only made Yazoo all the more aware of the change he so desperately craved.

And _change_ was all wanted…

More than anything…

Raising his hand again to move his long silvery bangs out of his vision, the silver haired paused to stare at his long gloved fingers in silent contemplation. He flexed his fingers experimentally, watching the way the tight leather shifted around his palm, before fisting his hands to stretch the black material across his knuckles. However, his hands could only capture his interest for so long, and Yazoo soon found himself staring up at the colourless heavens with a cold and empty gaze.

He craved for the _monotony_ to the end.

Staring at a sky void of both moon and sun, the paled haired warrior eyed the blank palettes of colours that were his world. His long silver lashes drooped slowly over his mint hued orbs, while his body dozed on in dreary boredom.

"Kadaj…" The pale haired creature breathed softly as he continued to look at the starless sky. "When you were sent to see '_**Him**_', what did he say to you? And why will you not tell us all that '_**He**_' said…?"

The false winds' howling were Yazoo's only answer.

He sighed regretfully.

If only he had been stronger…

If only he had been faster…

Then he could have won the tournament…

Then he would have been the chosen one…

Not _Kadaj_…

And then he could have been granted access to the mysterious Ancient temple inside their white capital. He could have seen him, and then he could have been told of all the secrets that had so desperately wanted to know. He could have been sent on a secret mission. He could have been the one, to find their chosen Mother….

"..."

However, despite his regret, and the clear awareness of his own weakness, Yazoo was neither saddened, nor angry at the fated result of his younger sibling besting him.

Instead, he had felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

But then, such a thought did not bother him…

Because Yazoo had truly never thought much about himself…

For what was there to think about?

He was a warrior.

And he was trained to kill.

And that was it… And nothing more…

"……"

Looking up to the lifeless heavens once more, Yazoo knew that behind his stone seat, and behind all the small white stone houses of his world, lay an Ancient temple that only those who proved there worth would be allowed to enter. And Yazoo knew all this, because seven days ago, he saw the only person who had been granted access through the golden doors. Someone who was worthy enough to see all the secrets, which lurked inside.

"Kadaj…"

Shaking his head, the silver haired warrior looked upwards, into the blank heavens, with mint hued eyes, which were flat and dour of all thought and emotion.

What his younger sibling saw inside the temple, Yazoo did not know. The moment Kadaj left the ancient building, he seemed changed, and yet he still maintained his arrogance, and his perpetual smile of pure coolness.

And Yazoo remembered the teen's last words to him, before he set off on his long and honour-bound journey.

'_He was there. And he wants me to bring back __**Mother**__. For then he will truly awaken….so that everything can __**change**__.'_

The silver haired creature's eyes lowered softly. "_Change_…" he muttered in dismal contemplation.

And then Yazoo dipped his head, to himself, as if assenting the thought aloud. _'…yes… I crave change…more than anything…'_

And as if an unknown force had heard his inner prayer, the warrior's silence was broken by a very loud, yet positively familiar voice.

"**Yazoo**!"

The voice was loud. It was far from mellow, and if Yazoo was honest with himself, it was unnecessarily irritating. It was so different to his soft and half audible utterances, and quietly subdued murmurs. This voice could wake the dead without even trying.

Relieving yet another weary sigh, Yazoo, shifted in his seat and tilted his head to the side, so that he could discreetly peek at the loud interference standing behind him through his long silver tinted bangs.

"Loz," Yazoo remarked curtly.

Loz was of a fairly stocky build, and as such, he was widely renounced across the Sanctuary for his strength and phenomenal raw power. He could crush the most hardest of metals with the most barest of efforts, a feat, that sadly enough, Yazoo had been unable to master. However, what Yazoo lacked in strength he made up in speed, wit and….his ever charming _personality_…

"Yo Yazoo, he ain't back yet, no?" The burly silver haired warrior asked in a loud, deep and carefree tone, as he moved to stand beside the younger male.

"No Loz," Yazoo murmured, in a voice, which lacked any real depth of emotion or care. "He has not yet returned…"

The burly silver haired warrior ran his fingers through his short cropped hair. "But Brother, where has he gone?" Loz asked, as his eyes glittered with visible emotion. "And when is he coming back?"

"I have no idea Loz." Yazoo answered passively, as his fingers began to slide to his hip, where his most trusted weapon lay in its dark leather holster.

"But," Loz protested. "Why don't you know? Couldn't you use your BHS to find out?" he stated while gesturing to the other male's slightly bulging pocket on his left side.

"PHS." Yazoo corrected, too tired to even roll his eyes in mock amusement.

"Yeah. That's what I said!" Loz replied whilst scratching the back of his head. "Can't you call him now?"

"Kadaj will call me when he needs to," The silver haired male replied distantly, as he kept his attention to the lifeless heavens.

It seemed that Loz did not like such an answer, and as such, his eyes began to comically fill up with tears. Well, Yazoo always considered them comical since Loz always cried over the most superficial things, and while his crying irritated most, Yazoo had secretly noted how the sound of Loz's wailing had an uncanny resemblance to laughter.

The younger silver haired warrior twitched his lips upwards.

"Don't cry Loz," Yazoo replied in an easy mocking tone, which gave the assumption that he had said that line countless times before.

"But," the taller warrior sniffled in an attempt to hold in his tearful emotions. "What if Kadaj gets in trouble and he is really alone? He may really need to talk to you. You know how he always asks you for advice."

'…_He may ask. But he never listens…'_ Yazoo added internally, fighting against the reflex to roll his eyes.

"And how do you that Kadaj still has his phone?!" Loz continued in a near panic, as his eyes began to water at the thought of his dear younger sibling. "He may have broken it during a battle? Or he might have lost it? Or someone could have stolen it?! Yazoo! Kadaj could be in danger and we would never know?!"

This time, Yazoo did roll his eyes, unable to hide the minute flicker of disgust on his face when Loz began to tug his right arm in an attempt to gain his full on attention.

Sliding his cool green eyes to the older male, Yazoo slowly, yet deliberately raised his left hand to push the cry baby away from him. "Loz, calm yourself. Kadaj can take care of himself."

"But-" Loz replied, in a voice choked with tears. "He could be hurt. He could be _crying_."

Yazoo regarded the older male with a level stare. "Loz, not everyone is a cry-baby as you. Kadaj will be fine."

'_And if he isn't…..well… then there is nothing I can do…'_

"But Brother-" Loz bawled out painfully as his wide tearstained eyes stared imploringly at his younger brother… "Didn't Kadaj say anything about when he would return? Or what he is doing out there? Or why he couldn't tell us anything? Or why we could not go with him? Or why he never calls me? Or what he did inside that strange white temple thing?"

Yazoo, instead of answering the blubbering oversized-baby simply stood up, and left...

"Yazoo, where are you going? Yazoo, why aren't you answering me? Are you ignoring me Yazoo? Why are you ignorning me Yazoo?! Yazoo! YAZOO!!"

**Author's Notes**

**15th February**

**Heh. I'm gonna cut it off there. I had a bit more to write, but I think I'll put it up in the next chapter. It is precisely 02:52am in the morning, and I need my beauty sleep. Lol. Don't forget to review. Pwease. Pretty pwease. Or, if any of you Aer/Seph Aer/Kaddy fans have a myspace, feel free to say hi.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**Any questions or comments? Feel free to notify me either by email or myspace. Lol. Simply click on my pen-name at the top of the page.**


	14. The Voyeuristic child

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**4224 words**

**12 pages**

**The Voyeuristic child **

**Chapter 14 **

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Like I usually say, thanks for the reviews you guys. If you are a writer yourself, then you should know how much I truly appreciate them. Oh and to my silent readers…you don't have to be shy! You can say Hi to me if you want. I don't bite….I may growl a little sometimes, but I don't….ahhh I'm getting off topic. Lol**

**Oh! I think I should also apologise for the tardiness of this update. I only have one excuse. FFXII. It has such a time consuming plot. So far, my favourite characters are Basch and Balthier. They are so beautiful in both looks and personality. (Plus Basch looks really good in armour, and I so adore Balthy's embroidered waistcoat. Lol) I must admit that Ashe's attitude really irritates me though. I guess it is fitting regarding her royal lineage and all, but she still annoys me when she tells Vaan to shut up time and time again. And as for Fran…I can only think of one thing to say about her. Someone really needs to buy her a better fitted pair of underpants, or a short skirt of some sort. Seeing her half-bare rear on a large screen can get a little boring after a while. I'm sure she serves her role as eye candy to the majority of the male ff fans and all…. But…sighs…. For a lot of the heterosexual fems out here, I'm sure you will all agree that a little modesty can sometimes go a long way.**

**And before anyone thinks it… No. I'm not a prude. lol**

**Far from it actually….lol**

**Anywho, back to this fic.**

**Heh. Now I know this chapter is going to be very challenging to write. I've decided to pick up the pace and move this story along! As fun as it is to write about Vincent and Cloud postulating about everything and nothing, I really do need to hurry this narrative along, otherwise I'll end up taking another couple of decades to get this fic finished! Lol TLAA1 took four years to complete and I really don't want this sequel to go on for the next few years….specially since I have plans for the next section of TLAA. Uh huh, you read right. TLAA will soon become a trilogy. Lol. I don't want to divulge all about TLAA3 now since I still have a long long way to go, and I shouldn't even be contemplating about TLAA3 when I haven't even finished TLAA2. Ugh, I really hate my brain at times. Lol It's truly trapped in the future.**

**So ah enough of my inane ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

0o0o0o0o0

After an unfortunate day of inconvenient delays and prolonged embarrassment, Aeris and Kadaj were finally on the move once more.

Assuaging her thoughts away from the teen beside her, Aeris tried to focus her attention on the stubby half-feathered bundle in her arms. Kwee-kwee, the little dear that he was, was sleeping like usual, and if Aeris listened closely, she would be able to hear the adorable birdie-like snores escaping from the chocobo's cute little baby beak.

'Awww…he is soooo a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e..' Aeris thought sweetly, as her lips briefly curled upwards into the grin. However, one glimpse towards a certain familiar silver head at her side was enough to make the brunette's smile wilt into a cold frown.

'_I don't want to think of happy thoughts now…'_

'…_for if I can feel happiness so quickly after being so angry and frustration…'_

'…_wouldn't that show how capricious my emotions can truly be…?'_

'_And wouldn't that mean...that my emotions could never be taken seriously?'_

'…_that__** I**__ could never be taken seriously...?'_

Aeris truly believed her thoughts to be true. And that was the precise reason why Aeris refused to speak a word to Kadaj ever since she had returned to his side. An outsider looking in would have considered Aeris' actions not unlike those of a brooding child, and Kadaj was far too compliant to his Mother's wishes, to even consider questioning her motives and strange behaviour. Especially since he knew he was the reason why Aeris was acting in such a way.

Her lips were thin as she quickly eyed the teen in front. Thankfully, the boy had enough sense not to ogle her when she wanted to remain in such a foul mood.

The brunette discreetly rubbed her stomach, remembering the touch of teen's hand against her flustered skin.

Seeing a subtle slither of mint green shift down to her lower torso, Aeris quickly moved her hands away from her stomach, and darted her eyes up, just in time to see Kadaj shyly advert his eyes to the side.

"Are you still in pain Mother?" Kadaj questioned gently.

"…….."

Aeris turned her head away, hiding the pink tint of her cheeks away from the teen's catlike gaze.

"Mother?" Kadaj repeated once more.

The brunette refused to answer, and instead quickened her footsteps so that she could make a further distance between herself and the silver haired teen.

Kadaj sighed grievously to himself, before jogging forwards to catch up from behind.

And so the endless walk continued on…

'…_Mother…'_

'_Why does your anger hurt me so…?'_

'…_Why….?'_

'_Why does it always have to be me…?'_

'…_.Why am I always the one, to make you feel this way?'_

Kadaj could not answer the maudlin questions that were swimming in his head. His face drooped sombrely as he followed his Mother from behind. He watched the movement of her long chestnut hair, swaying to the brunette's unrelenting march. He stared down at his Mother's bare feet. Her once beautiful Feet were now tainted with streaks of dirt and unsightly cuts.

_**'Mother**_…'

The teen's heart throbbed with an all-consuming pain. He fisted his gloved hands at his sides when the guilt began to clench down within his insides…

'_Have I really been so negligent to your wants and needs? Is that why you are so truly angry?'_

'…_.or is it something else Mother….?'_

The teen simply couldn't understand how his Mother had gotten so angry over such a simple question. The only thing Kadaj could truly think, was that his Mother was angered not by his words, but at himself truly. Kadaj still believed that the brunette's animosity towards him was due to his failings of not being able to protect her when the need finally arose. And the teen felt ashamed of himself. No wonder his Mother did not want to reveal her wounds, when he was the one who caused her to bleed in the first place!

'_Why did it take me so long to realise something so important?'_

A silent whimper escaped the teen's throat.

'_Oh Mother, I am so sorry. If only you could forgive me…'_

But Kadaj believed that it could never be so simple. Kadaj knew that grovelling for forgiveness wouldn't appease himself in his Mother's eyes.

Her eyes…which refused to look at him… Even now…

He needed to find another way to gain his Mother's favour…

Without inciting her wrath.

Swallowing a lump in throat, Kadaj darted his attention back to the main path. The teen had noticed how the trees had been slowly thinning out for the last three miles, and Kadaj could only assume that it was a sign that they were approaching an exit out of the forest.

Well…that was what Kadaj hoped.

Jogging a little further so that he was now walking a little ahead of his Mother, Kadaj guided his Mother through the oaks and the sycamores, every once and a while pausing to unsheathe Souba as a nasty wasp or dirty rodent decided to invade their path.

However, much to the regret of the silver haired teen, night came much faster than what he would have preferred. The only thing that Kadaj remained thankful for was that the sky was clear, and that the moon was resonating enough light so that he could see reasonably well without having to rely on his supernatural abilities of sight. It wasn't that he didn't like using his superhuman skills. On the contrary, Kadaj loved nothing more than to show off his powers to any onlooker who was willing to watch.

However…

The problem was…

That Kadaj wasn't sure as to the full extent of his Mother's abilities. He had noticed before, that while the brunette's eyes were a very striking green, she possessed no obvious sign of Mako taint in her system like he and his other siblings. Kadaj did not know if such an aesthetical difference could really mean anything.

He could almost hear Yazoo, the physical embodiment of pragmatism, telling him how one needs to consider the strengths '_**and'**_ weaknesses of those around him, if one intends to walk safely from one battle ridden path, and into another. However, since his Mother's powers were so indefinable even his own standards, Yazoo's advice did not seem too fitting for his current predicament. Not that Kadaj had ever needed to use the senior warrior's advice. And that was why, after a moment of walking, the teen swordsman stopped.

A thick black cloud slithered across the lower expanse of the moon, darkening the lands beneath them, and shadowing the swordsman's face of all colour, except for the cold mako glow, glimmering in his catlike gaze.

Pivoting on his foot, the silver haired teen turned to meet his Mother's eyes in the cool, crisp darkness.

"**We will ****stop**** here."**

"!?!"

Whipping her head away from the direction of the boring trees, Aeris turned to stare at the silver haired warrior in startled horror.

'…_For a moment there I…'_

'_I… thought…'_

'…_I thought Kadaj was…'_

'_**Him**__...'_

Kadaj would have never known how much he resembled a certain silver haired Ex-Shinra General all from that one single action.

Soon after he said the words, Kadaj paused in momentary thought and mild horror. He mentally repeated the words in his head. Although they were simple and brusque; given the right tone of voice, his words could have been conceived as a mild suggestion, or a violent command seeking immediate compliance.

However, to the teen's complete shame and embarrassment, he had spoken with a tone more suited with the latter rather than the former. Kadaj could not believe that he had just spoken to Mother as if she was his inferior… as if she was someone like Loz or Yazoo!

The teen's eyes widened, as he took in the brunette's very startled gaze. But then he saw something flash in her darkened depths; however, it disappeared too quickly for Kadaj to register what it even was. Then to further the teen's complete bafflement, Aeris actually complied with his words! However, Kadaj would never realise that it was due to the uncanny familiarity of his tone, which had placed the brunette into instant submission.

Still, his Mother's reactions to his transgression was extremely bewildering, to say the very least.

Kadaj knew that he would have committed flagellation unto himself if Aeris had asked it of him. His would sell every ounce of his flesh away just to hear a pleased sigh from his Mother's lips. He would bleed his body dry if his Mother wished it of him. He would deal with pain and torture. He could even deal out malice and cruelty unto himself if she breathed out the right word.

Kadaj knew that he would do anything his mother would say. And that was why he felt so disconcerted and unsettled…

Because in that one moment.

He, the _inferior_ had became his Mother's _**superior**_!

Kadaj had asserted the power of his will against his dear and beloved Mother.

But what was even more disturbing…

Was how Kadaj did not feel as immeasurably distressed by his own actions as he believed he _**should**_ have felt.

Instinct told him to drop his nose to the dirt, so that he could grovel and apologise in a thousand languages until he could speak no more. He had overstepped his boundaries… He had _**disrespected**_ his own Mother!

And yet, the teen made no move to apologise for his sin.

Kadaj could not even move his mouth to speak.

All he could do was stare silently as Aeris settled herself against the moss of an old tree, obviously getting ready to sleep, despite the fact that she had no covers or blankets, nor anything else to keep her warm. Her arms were crossed over her chest; however, it was less for her own personal comfort for warmth, but more for the baby chocobo that was pressed against her body.

Standing stoically in the night, Kadaj watched and waited.

He was not sure what he was waiting for.

'My _**punishment**_…' he assumed to himself.

However, as the air fell silent to the sounds of his Mother's soft and restful breathing, Kadaj relieved a sigh. Whether it was a sigh of relief or disappointment, the teen himself did not know.

Kadaj did not know how much time had passed before he eventually moved towards a tree and knelt down at its base. He had chosen this specific tree as it enabled him to sit directly opposite of his Mother. This way, Kadaj knew that he could see anything from all directions, and would know instantly if some creature tried to harm her.

'…_like those __**bastards**__ before…'_

The teen frowned as tried to remember his Mother's words. She had been so angry with him, and her words were spoken so heatedly…

Kadaj also had no idea what his Mother meant when she had said '_Period'_. By definition, Kadaj knew a period was a length of time. An interval that was identifiable by the right constraints and understanding of its own original context. However, unless his Mother was commenting on his incompetence regarding how he had missed the period when she truly needed him in battle, Kadaj was short out of ideas.

'…_I'm having my 'P.E.R.I.O.D' you silly nit-wit!'_

The teen mentally cringed as he remembered the look of fury across the brunette's reddened cheeks as she screamed at him for all his idiocy. His ears burned in shame. Raising his head to stare at the sleeping brunette, Kadaj wondered what his Mother could dream about, to make her smile so gently in her sleep. The teen could only wish that his Mother were dreaming something about him. But Kadaj was never one to be overly optimistic. The pale haired swordsman sighed. Leaning his fair head against the cool bark, Kadaj continued to observe his Mother's slumber, every once and a while flickering his eyes downwards to eye the yellow feathered profanity in his beloved Mother's arms.

"Stupid flying rat…" Kadaj grumbled to himself as he stared at the innocent bird with green envy. "What I wouldn't give to fry you alive…"

His hushed words, despite being quiet, disturbed the brunette's slumber, and Kadaj watched as Aeris murmured something non-intelligible before falling back into a deep sleep.

Sighing in silent relief, the teen drew his back against the tree.

And removed his sword sheathe to his side.

However all the while…

Kadaj continued to watch her.

His eyes never lost sight of the pale faced flower girl sleeping no further than five meters away.

His green eyes were the only colour inside the ever-growing darkness.

Kadaj knew that he could never become bored at the sight of his Mother.

He was enraptured with her.

Even at the modest distance that was parted between them, Kadaj's eyes had access to nearly every part of his Mother's being. Even the night could not conceal his Mother's splendour to his own eyes. If anything, the shadows of the darkness made his Mother appear all the more beautiful.

She appeared so delicate.

So small and vulnerable nestled against the cold dark oak.

And it was because of her visual weaknesses, which made Kadaj love his Mother even more.

Because all her _weaknesses_…

Were now _**his**_ to _protect_.

The teen grinned in the cold darkness.

Kadaj knew he was his Mother's armour.

He would be her blade of vengeance.

And Kadaj would never let anyone try to harm her.

And if anyone did try….?

The teen's grin broadened into a very spiteful smile.

Shaking his head of thought, Kadaj continued his observation of the sleeping brunette. It did not take long for the teen's eyes to fall upon his Mother's chest once more.

'Yellow monstrosity.' The teen mentally cursed as he watched the bird nuzzle the brunette's body as if it was lying against his own chocobo Mother. 'How dare you…' Kadaj seethed, unable to hide the envy from his thoughts.

'Disgusting creature…'

As the night continued onwards, Kadaj became prey to the green jealousy inside his heart. The way the teen saw it, the bird was stealing his Mother's warmth. Whilst his dear Mother sacrificed the heat of her own body to provide undeserving comfort to a creature, the chocobo could not give back anything of worth…unlike himself. The scene of his Mother and the bird sickened him.

Especially since the bird looked so warm and snug.

Whilst his Mother…

Continued to shiver from the cold…

The teen's frown deepened. Kadaj knew that if he was there in place of the ugly and useless chocobo, his body could generate enough heat to bring comfort to his Mother unlike that yellow-feathered rat. Kadaj knew that he had the power to stifle the chills from his Mother's body. Kadaj knew that he could provide so much for his Mother….

And what could that dumb chocobo do?

It couldn't even look remotely cute…

'Ugly diseased thing…'

And as the night continued on…

The brunette's shivering continued to worsen.

And the teen's envy increased even more.

Then it got to a point, that when he saw the bird cheekily rubbed its head against his mother's BREASTS. Kadaj had finally had enough!

With green eyes glittering in the night, the Kadaj leapt forwards pounced down like a predator, snatching the bird away from his Mother's chest with an intent to kill.

There was only one thought in his head.

'_Get away from her. SHE'S MY MOTHER, not yours!'_

But then…

The teen paused in his actions. The bird was now fully awake and yet seemed barely coherent of the fate that was soon to befall it.

And yet….

The teen's catlike gaze flickered to the sleeping brunette beside him.

It did not take a genius to know that his Mother would not appreciate seeing the blood of the stupid bird upon her clothes. And as much as Kadaj did not want to admit it, he knew that the brunette had taken a small fondness for the useless creature.

"…….."

But then the teen's eyes narrowed sharply, as a certain ingenious idea came to mind.

An idea, which sprouted a very devilish smile to the teen's young and handsome face.

"Every bird needs to learn to _**fly**_ someday," Kadaj chuckled darkly. Then with those words being his only warning, the teen pulled his arm back, and tossed the now squalling birdie over the treetops.

"Now that felt _really_ good…" Kadaj said, as he began rolling the ball of his throwing arm. "I should have done that much sooner…"

Turning back to eye his still sleeping Mother, Kadaj moved to kneel down beside her. From this new position, Kadaj could see the fine hairs on his Mother's pale arms, and the all too many Goosebumps that were dotted all over her cold and pale skin. Raising a tentative hand towards the frigid flesh, the teen frowned as he eyed the black material of his gloves, and then the white and naked skin which were so close to touching. Kadaj did not like the barrier that his gloves had presented to him. In his warped state of mind, Kadaj believed that the man-stitched fabrics were preventing him from being truly connected with his Mother. Kadaj knew that if he were to touch her now, in a way he wouldn't be truly touching her himself. He would not be touching her blessed skin it would instead be his glove.

Therefore, with a tiny grin on his lips, Kadaj began to pull his right glove off his hand, followed quickly by his other. Tossing the useless articles of clothing behind him, the teen then moved his pale hands back towards his Mother's delicate arms.

And when his hands touched skin.

The teen's eyes nearly rolled back in euphoria.

Kadaj could feel the waning warmth and pulse of blood beneath her cool human flesh. He could hear the beat of her lifeblood pulsing through her veins almost as if it was his own.

This very moment reminded him of the first time he had touched her inside the Wutai cave.

And yet…what he felt then…

And what he felt now…

Were two very different things.

In his mind, he could feel a greater intimacy. The potential for a greater intimacy.

And Kadaj wanted to feel more.

He wanted to feel so much more.

And so he did.

'She feels so cold..' The teen whispered across her skin before he bent his face downwards to delicately sniff the brunette's pale flesh. 'She smells so fresh…and yet looks so frail…'

His white hands trailed from her hands to her shoulders. Each touch was more sensual than the next, and yet Kadaj tried to remain ever wary of his Mother's deep slumber.

The teen's body silently moved around the sleeping flower-girl, repositioning himself to eye every stretch of skin that was visible to him. He ogled each of her moles in sheer fascination, and every visible freckle with softened delight.

He touched every visible imperfection which were healing across her arms, and his lips weakly brushed themselves against the softness of her skin.

The teen could feel his pulse willing his breath to pant, and yet the teen forced his body to remain silent of sound. He did not want to ruin this time he had with his Mother. Shuffling silently around on his knees, Kadaj positioned his body in the front of the brunette's sleeping form. He moved his pale hands upwards to scan the delicate contours of his Mother's face.

His mint-tinted eyes softened in loving warmth.

Then as the moon being his only witness, Kadaj kissed the pale lips of his Mother. To the moonlit skies and the twilight heavens, the teen played the role of the tender prince of darkness.

However no sooner than his lips brushed against his Mother's own, the teen instantly jolted backwards the instant he felt his Mother's face tense. Quickly removing his hands away from his Mother's body, Kadaj watched as Aeris murmuring something unintelligible before softening her facial features back into peaceful repose.

Willing his now racing heart to lessen, Kadaj waited on his haunches for a few moments for the sleeping brunette to reawaken. As the minutes passed and his Mother's breathing began to deepen, the teen found the confidence to shuffle back to the brunette's side once more. However, instead of seating himself in front of the sleeping beauty, Kadaj carefully drew the brunette into his arms and leaned back against the cold bark of the tree.

With her back to his chest, and his arms around her torso, the teen grinned warmly, indulging in the sensations of his Mother's body being so close to his own

"I can take care of you Mother. You needn't worry about anything." Kadaj whispered in her ear, as he drew her body even closer to his form.

His fingers began to trail around the brunette's stomach, idly rubbing the area, and mimicking the small circle movements his Mother had made to relieve herself of her pain. The teen nearly jumped in surprise when he heard his Mother utter a short startled gasp.

Green catlike eyes darted to his Mother's face.

"……."

Fortunately, the brunette had not awoken.

However her head rolled back to snuggle against the teen's left shoulder.

Sighing in quiet relief, the teen rested his pale fingers across the brunette's flat stomach. His head slowly leaned forward to settle itself against his Mother's neck.

"I can't wait for you to see it Mother," Kadaj murmured inside the brunette's hair. "The Sanctuary. It is so beautiful. I know you will love it. It can be made into anything that you need. It can give you anything you want or desire…"

The teen began to use his left hand to toy with his Mother's hair, while his nose nuzzled the brunette's delicate skin.

"When we arrive there, I will show you were I live. And I'll show you all the others who will worship you. Heh. I am afraid that they are nothing compared to me Mother. After all, I was the one chosen to find you. But…you already know that, don't you Mother…?"

Kadaj paused to place a soft kiss across his Mother's sleeping brow, pulling his face back to smile fondly.

"Of course you do…"

Tightening his grip on the delicate angel in his arms, Kadaj turned his gaze, beyond the treetops, to stare up into breathtaking dawn skies of soft cobalt grey.

"_If only we could be like this __**forever**__…"_


	15. I love you…Mother…'

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**3638 words**

**12 pages**

**Chapter 15: 'I Love You…Mother…'**

**Disclaimer**

**Thanks for the reviews you guys. You have really made my day. And as a way to say thank you, I have updated this chapter as uber quick as I could.**

**My musical muse today is Sylvian and Sakamoto's Forbidden Colours theme from the Merry Xmas Mr Lawrence album. Gods, the vocalist in that song sounds so much like David Bowie that it's uncanny. What is even more uncanny, is how that song was actually written for a film that actually had David Bowie as their main actor. Strange eh? Lol**

**Anywho, without further adieu…**

**On with the fic! **

0o0o0o0o0

'_**If only we could be like this forever…'**_

0o0o0o0o0

It did not take long for dawn's light to pave a pale shadow of warmth across the dark forest grounds. The birds were singing, and the tree branches were proudly swaying to the song of the gentle breeze; a song that was handwritten by the Lord of the skies above. The earth and the heavens were full of life and energy. The zealous sun was creeping past the horizon, and staining the forest rooftops in magnanimous shades of bronze and grey.

And it was beneath this sky of light and colour that the sleeping demi-Cetra Aeris began to slowly awaken. The brunette's vision was a little blurry at first, and her hearing was dimmed a little by the awakening haze of the early morning. Blinking slowly, Aeris lazily focussed her gaze upon her lap for a few silent moments, before moving her sleepy gaze down to legs… her **four** legs that were stretched out lazily in front of her? In her half sleepy state, Aeris' mind could not be bothered to comprehend how she had managed to gain two extra feet and two extra arms in her sleep. If some inhuman deity had decided to give her two extra legs and two extra arms during the night, who was she to complain after being granted such a wondrous gift?! Her brain was too lazy to consider the thought that maybe these extra limbs were not her own.

Giggling slightly at the thought that maybe the planet have turned her into a living Wutainese God while she slept, Aeris tried to stretch all four of her arms out to the sky. _**Tried**_…being the key word of that sentence. While two rose up, the others refused to cooperate. And it was at that moment that Aeris noticed another very strange revelation. There was a strange and uncomfortable 'something' lying across her right shoulder. Even more startling, was how it felt like it was alive, considering the fact that the thing was breathing air across her right shoulder.

'_Alive_?'

'_Breathing_?'

"?!"

Even the brunette's sleep hazed mind could realise that while it could be almost natural to have four arms and four feet, it certainly was not natural to have a large lump on your shoulder that could breathe by itself?

And so the brunette slowly tilted her head to the side…

Not knowing what to expect...

But when her wide green eyes locked onto soft silver hair...?

All traces of sleep disappeared from both body and mind.

'_What.. the?'_

'_Kadaj?!'_

'_Why the-?'_

_'Why the hell has he got his arms-'_

'_His legs-'_

'_His head-?!'_

The brunette's thoughts could go no further. The teen's face was resting so unnervingly close to her own. If Aeris leaned her head towards him, they would bump foreheads. Aeris only hoped that the boy did not have nits for then she would be seriously displeased. After all, nits were disgusting creatures, and they could be such a pain to comb out through long, dark hair.

'_At least Kadaj would have an easier time getting rid of his, since his hair is so pale and thin, unlike mine that gets so knotty and…'_

The brunette mentally shook her head as she realised the inaneness of her own thoughts. She could never understand why her thoughts could be so idiotic in the morning.

'_Besides_...'

Aeris realised that she had much greater things to worry about than simply catching nits from the sleeping boy. Well, Aeris 'assumed' Kadaj was sleeping. The boy gave an impression that he was off in the land of nod. The teen's face was entirely hidden beneath his soft silver hair so she couldn't really know for sure. The brunette's eyes then darted back to the teen's long leather legs, which were encased so tightly against her own. She then peered down at the teen's white fingers, which were settled a little too comfortably against the lower section of her now breathless torso.

Aeris silently noted how the boy's skin was many shades paler than her own, and that his nails were slightly longer than what was considered acceptable for a human male.

'_But then…'_

'_This boy isn't really human…'_

'…_because he is… too much…'_

'…_like '__**Him' **__…'_

The brunette frowned deeply.

She did not like this.

She did not like this at all..

If Aeris had not realised it before. She now knew, without a doubt that there was something seriously wrong with this strange silver haired boy. Kadaj's actions…even his mannerisms… they all seemed directed towards one singularly dark and mischievous intent.

_'But what kind of intent?'_

The brunette flushed darkly as her imagination ran wild through her mind.

Even though Aeris was unaware of the teen's intent...

Aeris knew one thing...

She had to get away...

Assuaging the promiscuous position of the teen's body against her own with clear embarrassment and much distaste, Aeris tried to rip herself out from the teen's hold. However, much to the brunette's complete shock and horror, her body was unwilling to cooperate despite her thoughts screaming at her to GET AWAY.

'_How dare this brat touch me like this while I am sleeping!'_

'_What on Gaia can this boy be thinking?!'_

'_What is he trying to do?'_

'_And why?'_

'_Why…?'_

'_Why can't I move out of his grasp?!'_

'_This boy is not even holding me down…'_

'_And yet…I cannot even will myself to move….'_

Aeris' wide green eyes darted back and forth between the teen's hands stretched across her stomach, and the head of silver that was snoozing against her shoulder. The brunette swallowed in clear unease as Kadaj's face shifted slightly into the direction of where her shoulder met her neck.

The brunette flushed further.

She could feel the pulse of the teen's heartbeat against her back. She could feel the warmth of his breath rustling the fine hairs on her neck. Her breath hitched, and her eyes bugged when the male hands encaging her body began to come alive across her skin, moving and stroking in small circles before moving down towards her lower abdomen.

Realising with an newfound horror where the teen's fingers were most likely wandering, Aeris instantly grasped the teen's hands and attempted to pull them away from her form.

But then the pressure of her handgrip was suddenly reversed and Aeris watched as both of her hands were captured in the teen's firm grasp.

Nervously turning her head to her right side, the brunette was not surprised to see a crack of mint green staring up at her in docile contentment.

The brunette's eyes narrowed sharply, and she was ready to give the teen a peace of her mind.

But then the teen smiled darkly.

With lips that she could only remember as '_**His**_'.

And Aeris forgot every single thing she was about to say…

The boy known as Kadaj

Was no longer there..

He had faded from her sight.

Instead..

In his place...

Was...

_**Him!**_

It was happening all over again.

_**He**_ was there in her entire vision.

"!"

She could still see the face of the '**Him' **lurking beneath the pale facade. She could see '**His' **lips and she could see **'His'** eyes. She could feel **'His' **breath on her cheek, and she could smell the power hidden beneath '**His' **skin. At that moment, neither Aeris' eyes, nor her heart could distinguish the difference between the two males. In her mind, both Kadaj and '**Him' **had became one singular entity.

"Se-"

The brunette's eyes pricked painfully as the face of '**Him' **drew closer towards her.

And as Aeris rose one trembling hand towards her beloved's trembling face, '**His' **dark and beautiful name slipped out from her parted lips. She slowly moved her head forward to close the small distance between them.

"_**Sephiroth…"**_

But when her mouth was just one kiss breath away.

She heard '**Him' **say three words.

"_**I love you-"**_

And Aeris thought she had finally reached the Promised Land.

But then **one** more word was added to the end of that line.

And this word had the power to make Aeris' entire world come crashing down.

"-_**Mother**_…"

"Kadaj!"

Ripping herself from the teen's grasp, Aeris raised her startled eyes into a face that was mirroring the same expression as her own.

"G-good morning Mother," Kadaj remarked quietly with a small bob of his head, nearly stumbling over his words in the process. He turned his head away, and leapt to his feet, refusing to face the brunette who was staring up at him in complete bewilderment.

The teen suddenly darted towards the other side of their camping site, and then stopped just as instantly, making sure to keep his back faced to the wide-eyed brunette.

"Kadaj?"

The brunette was getting more confused by the minute. Everything seemed to be getting out of control.

'_What on Gaia's name was that?!'_

'_Did I…did I almost kiss…Kadaj?!'_

'_And did he just…did he just say that he…?'_

The brunette was too afraid to finish the thought, lest it be true.

"Kadaj?" Aeris repeated, as she rose to her full height. She had so many things she wanted to say to him. She wanted to question him. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to know why he was holding her while she was sleeping. She wanted to know what he was thinking. She wanted to know why he kept on calling her Mother…

But more than that…

She wanted to know why.

Why?

_Why oh gods why did he have to look so much like '_**Him'...**

He had to go.

He had to leave.

Instinct was telling him to run away.

Before his Mother could see…

Before his Mother could realise the truth…

Of how much she had _hurt_ him…

'_Why?'_

'_Tell me why Mother?!'_

'_Why is it '_**Him'**_?'_

'_Why is it always '_**Him' **_you see?'_

'_And never me?'_

'_You never see me.'_

'_How can you call me by '_**His' **_name?'_

'_And not mine.'_

'_Mother…why do you hurt me with your cruelty..?'_

The teen bit his lip harshly, trying to bite off the sob that was locked in his throat. When Kadaj heard his Mother's footsteps approach him from behind the teen felt his body tighten. He curled his hands to his sides, and clenched his eyes shut, trying to fight against the stinging tears which threatened to blur his vision.

_Do I really deserve this?_

_Can I never be your __**favourite**__?_

_Is it because you consider me a __**failure**__?_

_Or is it because…_

_When measured to '__**Him'**__…_

_A being of pure perfection…_

_I can never be considered worthy of you?_

When Kadaj felt his Mother's hand on his shoulder, the teen nearly bolted out of the forest. When his eyes turned to the side, Kadaj immediately regretted doing so, as the emotional damn that he tried so desperately hard to contain suddenly spilt forth, staining both sides of his face with wet and pathetic, childish tears.

The brunette's eyes widened at the intense mix of emotions, which were splayed across the teen's tearstained face.

Seeing the unavoidable question on his Mother's lips, and unable to find the courage to answer it, Kadaj did the only thing that he could.

He _fled_.

Aeris could not understand it.

She simply could not understand it.

'_Am I going insane?'_

'_What is going on?"_

'_Why can't I understand what is happening?'_

'_Kadaj…'_

'_Your actions disturb me…'_

'_And your words…'_

'_Your words truly frighten me..'_

'_And yet…'_

"The fear that I feel from your intense emotions…"

"…..are nothing compared to the terror that I feel from my own…"

The brunette wrapped her arms around herself as she spoke out her fears to the heavens. "Sephiroth, why do you still have such a power over me? I should hate you! I should hate you for everything you did! For everything you tried to do to me!"

The brunette dropped to her knees as at last, her tears streamed forward.

"But I can't! I can fear you so easily, but I cannot hate! You invade my thoughts and emotions. You rule over all my wishes and my dreams. In my mind, I can only see you…Sometimes… I don't even know why I am searching for you. And at times like this, I sometimes wonder whether it would be wiser to simply turn around and go back to the way I came. This boy you sent for me. It is like having your ghost at my side. He is not you. He is barely even a shadow of you, and yet when I stare into his eyes, and when he held my hand, all I can see is you….All I can feel is you…"

"And I…"

Aeris hiccupped.

"But I.."

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU ARE STILL ALIVE!" Aeris sobbed out as her body shook with the deepest loss and sadness.

And once more, like so many other times previously, when the flower-girl's grief and loss became far too painful to bear... The memory of the '**Nightmare'** would always return to haunt her. There was nothing about that night which the brunette failed to remember. She could remember the way '**His'** blood dripped down her cold, white fingers... and the way it splashed across her pale cheeks. A slick, warm wetness... painted in the most putrid shade of crimson hue.

The brunette pulled a fist in her mouth, as she whimpered at the memory.

Aeris then remembered the thin blade of cold silver. The _Masamune_. Aeris remembered the way the weapon reflected the vision of her death across its flawless surface. She remembered seeing the same reflection in 'his' eyes. Eyes; which revealed all his unhindered passions…and belied his true evil intent. She could even remember his words. Words, which voiced his madness and god-shocking cruelty.

The brunette raised a trembling hand over her eyes. The memory of that night…it was trying to tear her apart all over again.

Aeris' mind was trapped within the emotions she had felt that very night. The **Nightmare** was taking over once more. The undying terror she was feeling now was chasing away her sanity. She could remember her fear. The all-consuming fear, of that moment, when the eyes of her _beloved_…became the eyes of a _killer_.

Grasping her sides in fright, and shedding tears that could not stop falling, Aeris wept out all her unending sorrows to the dark forest floor.

_Aeris just did not know what to do anymore._

_She did not know how she could take it._

_How could she continue on…?_

_How could she journey on, when her mind was such lost within her own tortured emotions?_

Aeris did not believe she had the strength to continue her journey, especially if it only took one look at her companion to make her whole world come tumbling down again. In that moment when she thought she was lying in Sephiroth's arms, Aeris thought that she had returned to paradise. Especially when she heard those first three words.

'_**I love you…'**_

At that moment in time, Aeris had never considered the idea of Sephiroth expressing his undying love for her, being nothing short of impossible. Now that she had the time to look back, she was almost ashamed by her own foolish naivety. How could she have been so stupid? As if Sephiroth loved her! The idea was simply unimaginable! Sephiroth had told her long ago that he would _**never**_ love her. He refused to believe that love existed. He considered love as a weakness… a _**false emotion.**_

_**O0o0o0o0o**_

_"Aeris, love is a false emotion created by foolish humans to sustain the procreation of their existence…"_

"_You say you love me, but can you even prove that love even exists? What it really feels like to be in love, or to be loved?"_

_"You can't, can you?"_

_**O0o0o0o0o**_

"No, I can't," Aeris murmured to herself. "But still, I know that love exists. Because if it didn't exist…"

The brunette paused to turn her head in the direction where Kadaj had fled.

"-then I would be able to free my heart, from all memories of you…"

The brunette's eyes wavered with considerable worry and concern as thoughts of the silver haired boy filled her vision.

"Kadaj…"

"Your words…"

_**0o0o0o0o**_

"_**I love you…Mother,"**_

_**o0o0o0o0o**_

"Kadaj said he **loves** me."

"A boy who calls me **Mother** has just said he loves me."

The brunette's face crumpled further in growing misery. Kadaj… The silver haired enigma. The boy who on first meeting her, had grown to possess an unhealthy attachment to her, and Aeris really had no idea what to do about it. Kadaj, while admittedly harmless, was slowly becoming all the more disturbing. Unlike before, Kadaj's presence was now truly affecting her. What was once slightly unnerving, was now becoming deeply frightening. And it was all because of the similarities she could see in them both! Their bloody uncanny similarities was all that she could think about. And yet, what disturbed her even more than Kadaj's similarities, were all the _**differences**_ she could see when she compared Kadaj to **'Him'**!

Kadaj could so easily smile and cry, unlike '**Him'**!

Kadaj could so easily laugh and grin unlike '**Him'**!

He rarely frowned.

And he never glared.

And Kadaj had never once shown his scathing anger towards her.

In Aeris' mind...the boy's personality, it was just so wrong. There were far too many flaws in the teen's personality. The emotions the boy used...they simply did not suit the face he wore. Aeris could only imagine **'His'** face being hard and cruel. Never bright and happy. Nor soft and weepy.

To Aeris, Kadaj's light-hearted personality did not suit **'His'** looks at all. In her eyes, Aeris believed that Kadaj's face should only convey expressions of malice and cruelty. **'His'** eyes were meant to reveal only harsh anger and intense passion. **'His'** pale skin, and **'His'** ethereal hair were meant to conflict with the darkness of his unwavering gaze. But Kadaj's didn't.

It just didn't.

_And that was when Aeris realised._

_What made Kadaj so truly different to __**'Him'**__._

_It was the darkness..._

_Kadaj did not possess __**'His'**__ darkness._

_The darkness that Aeris had always seen in '__**Him!**__'._

Placing a hand on her heart, Aeris already knew the truth of her own feelings towards the silver haired boy.

"Kadaj, Even though my eyes can't always see through the differences between you and Sephiroth... and even though my mind my waver, the _**feelings**_ in my heart do not…I don't love you Kadaj. I love the Sephiroth I see in you. But not you…"

The brunette clenched her eyes shut. How could she say such a heartless thing to such an innocent child? It would break the poor dear's heart, even though it was indeed the truth. Aeris knew that whatever information Kadaj had been fed, had perhaps warped his thoughts beyond all measures of moral understanding. However, Aeris refused to be cruel to him. She did not want to hurt Kadaj.

He was far too young...

So weak and _harmless_.

And yet, Aeris secretly knew that the green eyed boy had the potential to be more than just weak and harmless….

She knew that…

With the right training.

Kadaj could become just as cruel as **Him**…

All she needed to do was push him a little and….

The brunette's eyes widened in horror as she realised where her thoughts were leading. Aeris could not believe how much of a witch she had become.

'…Maybe madness is infectious…' Aeris mused, with a smile that was completely void of humour, as her mind retraced back to the last moment she saw the teen's face...

Aeris could not understand why seeing the boy's young and tearful face could affect her so.

And then '**His' **face reappeared in his mind.

And Aeris realised why.

For on that terrible night, Aeris had seen Sephiroth cry for her. And yet his tears were far from human. Aeris remembered the thin sliver of crimson, which trailed down from the duct of one mako tainted eye. That night, Aeris saw a bleeding tear of a God who was unable to cry. And when she saw Kadaj cry, it reminded her of **him** and…

"Oh good God! I'm doing it again!" Aeris wailed as she began to continually slam her fists to the forested floor.

"Stop comparing them! Stop _**comparing**_ them!" The brunette screamed to herself, driving her words with each punch to the cold, dark earth.

"They are **not** the same! They are not the same at all!"

The brunette raised her head to the heavens as she watched a flurry of birds take flight beyond the clear treetops. "Planet, why did you send this boy to punish me?! Did you choose his face purposefully? Did you intentionally choose a face that would forever remind me of a man that I can never have?! Are you enacting your revenge Planet? Do you hate me so much for loving a murderer?"

"Please Planet, tell me what I did to deserve this sufferin!?" Aeris screamed out before she turned her face down to the earth and wept.

0o0o0o0o

In another far corner of the forest, a little chocobo was crying its poor baby lungs out for his Mother.

0o0o0o0o

**Wow. This chapter was updated really fast, ne? It's dead short so that is probably why. Heh. Anywho, enough of the fun stuff and back to my boring uni work. Lol. I hope you guys all have a happy Easter, and oh! Don't forget to review. Hee hee.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**Anywho, any questions or comments, feel free to contact me either by myspace or email. Personally, I prefer myspace since I check it more often, but it's really up to you. x x x**


	16. OH MY GOD!

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**4554 words**

**15 pages**

**Chapter 16 'OH MY GOD!'**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Hey guys, thanks for all your cool reviews. As a treat, I have updated this chapter much faster than I intended. Lol. Oh and another thing, I don't know how many of you mooch around on Youtube searching for random FF7 titbits. Anywho, I found a really great vid which I thought was beautiful and kinda connected to the theme of this fic. Here is the link**

**www . youtube . com / watch?v81EuwZy-SNY**

**(although you will need to take the spaces out yourself.)**

**Heh… Anywho, as for my musical muse for today…**

**Its erm…Evanescence. A little Shimomura and some good old infamous final fantasy **

**themes. Lol. Like the Chocobo theme! Errr. or not. lol. **

**Heh. **

**I've just realised that this fic has taken a dip into the angst again. Awww… I still don't know if I did it intentionally or not. Really, this fic has a life of its own. My fingers type, but the story writes itself. Keh. I've also had a good few emails regarding when Sephiroth will return to the scene. All I can say is that you will need to be patient. Aeris and Kadaj are almost there…**

**But enough of my ramblings**

**And on with the fic!**

'_Planet, why did you send this boy_

_to punish me?!'_

o0o

'_Did you choose his face purposefully?' _

o0o

'_Did you intentionally choose a face _

_that would forever remind me _

_of a man that I can never have?'_

o0o

'_Are you enacting your revenge Planet?'_

o0o

'_Do you hate me so much _

_for loving a murderer?"_

o0o

"_Please Planet, tell me..._

_What did I do to deserve such suffering!?" _

Kadaj ran and ran…

And then he suddenly stopped.

And his tearstained eyes widened dramatically.

"_!"_

'_What am I doing?'_

'_Why did I leave her?'_

'_Didn't I… didn't I __**promise**__ myself that I would never leave my Mother's side?'_

'_For the last time I did….'_

'_Mother was __**hurt**__…'_

'….._'_

'…_So then why…?'_

'…_why am I doing the very thing that I promised __**never**__ to do again?'_

The teen's knees buckled out beneath him. He grabbed fistfuls of his silver locks and pulled intensely! The teen did not stop pulling until the pain of his head almost measured the pain in his chest. Of course, Kadaj could not imagine any kind of physical wound which would be as torturous as the emotional pain he was now feeling in his heart. What he was feeling now was pure anguish! Kadaj felt like his whole body was slowly breaking. And the feelings which were inside of him…. They were just so _unstable_. They were pulling him in every direction, and yet no direction was ever the right one! Shame and sadness blurred his vision. Anger and torment scorched his insides with thoughts bordering on the level of madness.

'_What is wrong with me…?'_

'…_why can't I stop these…'_

'…_. these tears from falling?'_

Kadaj couldn't understand why he was getting so upset. His tears.. They just kept on falling and falling. They seemed unrelenting as they were never-ending. He swiped at them with his long and trembling fingers, and glared angrily at each wet digit.

Kadaj simply could not understand how or even why he had become such a failure to himself!

He had always recognised himself as the best.

Compared to all others, he was superior in every possible way…

He was the _favourite_ to all…

And Kadaj knew he wasn't being arrogant…

It was simply the truth…

He had never failed in anything that he attempted…

He was always known as the strongest one…

The fastest one…

And the most coldest, cruellest and ruthless of them all…

'_But then…why…why can't I stop these tears from falling….?'_

o0o

'…_**It is because I wanted to be Mother's favourite….'**_

'_**It is the only thing I have ever wanted…'**_

'_**But how can I be her favourite?'**_

'…_**.when she doesn't see me…'**_

'_**Only 'Him' … my God…and only rival…'**_

o0o

The teen covered his face in his hands all the while trembling with broken emotions.

Inside, his body was telling him to run….

'_But in which direction…?"_

The teen's instincts were screaming at him to return to his Mother. To cower at her side and plead for her eternal forgiveness. In midst of his tears, Kadaj forced himself to his feet and rubbed his blurry vision. The teen was ashamed of himself. How dare he run away! How dare he consider that there was any direction he could run, other than into the arms of his beloved Mother! No wonder his Mother could only see '_**Him'. **_Compared to '_**Him', **_Kadaj knew he was nothing. He must have been an embarrassment to her. A pathetic and insignificant creature that was undeserving of his Mother's attention, and her soft and loving affection.

Kadaj knew that when compared to a God, he could only be seen as less than nothing.

'……..'

But nevertheless…

Despite his weakness.

His futility and self shame.

Kadaj knew there was one thing that only he could give to his Mother…

And it was something that no one could ever take away.

'_**Loyalty**__…'_

'_I can give Mother my loyalty…'_

The teen was unaware that his body had already started moving, and was unconsciously drawing him back to the clearing where he left his Mother.

'_A loyalty that will never die…'_

'_That can transcend the ages..'_

'_That will be immeasurable to no-one…'_

'_Not even by God…'_

Kadaj only realised he was nearing the clearing when he heard the sound of his Mother's cry through the air.

"_**They are not the same! They are not the same at all!"**_

Kadaj stilled instantly. Through the dark green foliage, he could see his Mother's beautiful pink clothed form kneeling on the floor, with her face directed out towards the pale morning sky.

"**Planet, why did you send this boy to punish me?!"**

'_Punishment?'_

The teen felt his heart falter in surprise to his Mother's words.

'_Why…why does Mother consider me her punishment?'_

'_Does she truly despise me so much?'_

Kadaj whipped his slim form behind the first nearest tree he could see, and fought against the urge to weep aloud. His eyes were stretched painfully wide. They were now dripping fresh and useless tears.

'_I never knew her to be so cruel…'_

'_Have I…have I treated you so badly….?'_

'_I must have…for you to say such a thing…'_

'_Oh Mother!'_

Kadaj raised a gloveless hand to his trembling lips and bit his hand **Hard**….in an attempt to stifle the sound of his sobbing. Nevertheless, the tears continued to stream downwards as his Mother's painful words filled the clearing.

'_Oh Mother…I'm so sorry…'_

'…_I'm so very sorry.'_

Kadaj shuddered and choked on tears that were blocked only by the bones in his hands. The rejection was unbearable. The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He was sinking into a well of all-consuming sorrow and guilt.

His body slipped down the trunk of the tree, before carelessly slumping down to the dirt forest floor.

Kadaj tried to keep his sobs silent to the world.

For he did not want his Mother to know he was there…

If his Mother thought of him as her punishment…

Then Kadaj knew he would rather remain invisible to her….

For all _**eternity**_…

'_Mother… now I realise why you see __**Him**__ instead of me. It wasn't that you didn't see me. No…It was because you __**never**__ wanted to see me…'_

Kadaj never realised the moment his teeth broke through the skin of his hand.

'_**Oh Mother**_!!'

The taste of blood was flowing in his mouth. But Kadaj was too busy choking on the pain of his heart to properly recognise the foul taste of crimson life on his tongue. The sobbing breaths that Kadaj tried so desperately to keep silent were now slipping out from beneath his clenched teeth. However the more he tried to control them, the louder they grew in sound. The teen moved his bloody fist to rub away his cascading tears, unknowingly smearing crimson life across his cheeks in the process. His shoulders were visibly quaking in time with his throbbing grief of his heart. His control was cracking…

And then suddenly…

The entire damn _broke_…

And the sound of Kadaj's loud sobbing filled the air.

"Huh? What's that sound?"

The teen's eyes widened as he heard his Mother's voice, however he could not silence his crying. He threw his bloodied fist against his mouth, trembling erratically in growing fear.

"It sounds kinda like someone….crying?"

'_**Oh fuck!'**_

In a moment of insanity, the teen forced his crimson stained knuckles inside his mouth.

"Kadaj? Is that you?"

The teen pushed his body even further against the tree. He was too afraid to move and yet Kadaj could not stop crying. When he heard the soft footsteps of his Mother move towards his place of hiding, the teen's first instinct was to leap up into a tree. However, much to his misfortune, the tree that Kadaj chose to lean against was suspiciously void of leaf and colour. Even more unfortunate was how the tree's branches were so puny and thin. Kadaj doubted that it could carry a squirrel's weight, let alone his own.

So hiding was taken off the boy's list of options.

However…Kadaj knew that he was unable to run away. For if he tried, his Mother would definitely see him.

And since Kadaj was unable to _hide_…

Nor was the teen able to _run_.

That gave Kadaj only one final option.

To stay where he was and do _nothing_!

And wait for the inevitable moment to come….

When his Mother would find him….

Kadaj did not have to wait long.

0o0o0o0o

When Aeris found Kadaj, she had already expected to see the boy crying. How could she not, when his loud sobbing filled the silent clearing! Aeris was ready to accept the teen's crystalline tears dripping down from his pretty green mako tainted eyes. However what Aeris certainly did not expect to see was the blood!

'_Oh Good Lord…'_

Kadaj's face was smeared all over with crimson blood. It was streaked across his cheeks, and all through his silver hair.

Aeris let out a horrified gasp and recoiled instantly from the gruesome sight.

The teen's eyes were to the ground, and his hands were lying carelessly at his sides, smeared with the same crimson life that stained his face.

Choking on a gasp, Aeris threw a hand to cover her mouth.

"Kadaj!…What happened to you?" Aeris voiced weakly, not really having the nerve to move any closer towards the bleeding teen.

The boy turned his head to the side and continued to cry to himself.

Aeris felt her brow furrow with growing concern.

Swallowing an uneasy breath, the brunette took a few more steps towards the teen, before forcing herself down to her knees beside him. She tentatively eyed the crimson smears across the teen's pale skin.

"Kadaj? Where-Why have you got blood on your face? What happened?" Aeris questioned tentatively, unsure whether she wanted to know the reason why.

The teen refused to answer. He was far too upset to answer. Instead, Kadaj drew his bent legs to his chest and hid his face inside his knees…

And all the while, his tears did not stop falling…

The brunette felt her face crumple in an all-knowing sadness. Seeing Kadaj in such a vulnerable position, pulled a little too painfully at her heartstrings. To see a boy no older than sixteen sob his little heart out, was a sight that Aeris could not bear to see.

The brunette's eyes softened in empathy.

And she felt something shift inside her chest.

"Kadaj?"

The teen covered his face with his hands, too ashamed to try to meet his Mother's eyes.

"Kadaj…please… " Aeris called out as gently in an attempt to reach out to the distressed child. When she tried to place her hand on the teen's bicep, Aeris was shocked tremendously, when the teen recoiled from her touch.

"…….Kadaj…?" The brunette stuttered softly, slowly retracting her fingers from the air. She really had no idea what to do or say to the kid. To Aeris, Kadaj was an enigma. He confused her. He irritated her. He was a walking contradiction. He dressed like a warrior…

And yet he had a face of a child.

The realisation in itself was enough to prick at Aeris' conscience.

'_A child?'_

When Aeris thought of Kadaj as just a child, it made everything seem so simpler and much more easier to understand and accept. If she tried to see past the similarities of silver hair and leather clothes...the blood and the quaking shoulders.. All which remained to the brunette's eyes…

Was a crying child.

The brunette's eyes warmed softly in colours which could only be recognised as gentle compassion. Aeris realised that by taking the confusion of Kadaj's identity away, this meant she was taking away the danger. And by taking the danger away, Aeris was able to rid herself of her fears.

'After all, who could _fear_ a child?'

And with that realisation, the brunette reached out yet again to the distressed teen. However, instead of touching Kadaj's arm, Aeris gently grasped the teen's bloodied chin, causing the teen to visibly jump in surprise. Kadaj's eyes darted towards the brunette and for one split moment, their eyes locked, before he swiftly turned his gaze downwards to his lap.

The brunette sighed to herself and willed herself to remain patient with the boy.

"Kadaj," Aeris cooed gently, in an attempt to draw the teen's attention back to her face. "Please…Look at me…"

At the sound of his Mother's heartfelt plea, the silver haired teen slowly turned his mako-tainted orbs to meet his Mother's eyes.

'_After all…how can I deny my Mother anything…?'_

The sight of Kadaj's tearful eyes peering up at her from his bloodied face, was so disturbingly fascinating. Aeris could not turn her eyes away. She was positively sickened by the sight of blood against his ice white skin.

For it looked so…unnatural…

And yet so uncannily familiar…

The only other times Aeris had seen Kadaj, his face was always so clean and pure. However, this Kadaj looked so dark and ghastly….so inhumanly cruel.

In fact, now more than ever, Aeris thought Kadaj looked a lot like S…

'Satan! Kadaj looks a lot like Satan!' Aeris finished quickly, refusing to let her imagination tread any further than that one single thought.

"Come on…Lets get you cleaned up," Aeris stated softly, drawing herself to her feet, and offering her hand out to the distraught boy. The brunette saw the teen's eye slither slowly towards her outstretched hand, however he made no attempt to accept it. Aeris composure was starting to get a little uneasy.

The brunette mentally frowned.

Kadaj was usually so cooperative. Aeris wasn't sure what could have made Kadaj change so drastically. All Aeris knew was how she did not like seeing this new side of Kadaj.

Realising that the boy wasn't going to move any time soon, Aeris withdrew her arm back to her side and frowned to herself.

"Alright, Kadaj. You stay here and I'll go and get your bag. I'm sure you have some sort of cleaning cloth in there, right?"

The teen made no answer, simply sitting there, with his hair shading the colour of his _eyes_….

Eyes which Aeris knew were alert and ever watchful.

Eyes which were just like '**H**…'

'Hawk! Kadaj's eyes are just like a hawk…'

Shaking her head of all thought and imagination, Aeris mechanically turned and forced herself to go back to camp and pick up Kadaj's bag, before jogging back to his side. She knelt on the floor beside the teen and placed the bag in her lap.

Opening the lid, Aeris began removing all necessary items she thought she could use. As her hand passed across a bottle of half finished milk, the brunette internally cringed. The thought of the warm beverage bottle reminded Aeris of a certain silver haired boy doing some pretty stupid and insanely dangerous things to his hands.

'_Just to heat me up a little milk…'_

The brunette shook her head to rid herself of the memory. She did not want to think of anything which could make her lose any more sense around the silver haired boy. When her hand finally found a clean cloth and a bottle of water, the brunette mentally rejoiced to herself. Uncapping the lid from the bottle, Aeris splashed a little water upon the cloth, before settling the bottle to the side. Her dark green eyes flitted upwards, not at all surprised to see a pair of mako stained eyes peering down at her in calm confusion. Shyly curling a stray lock of hair behind one ear, Aeris turned her gaze from the boy's wet streaked face to the wet cloth in her hands. Squeezing the cloth of excess water, the brunette tentatively raised the damp cloth to the teen's vision, before gliding it across one of Kadaj's crimson stained cheeks.

Through the bangs of his hair, Kadaj's mako tainted eyes watched the brunette's every movement. Aeris tried to ignore the teen's narrow and penetrative gaze, and instead, focussed on removing each speck of blood from the teen's hair and skin. Dabbing the teen's chin and smooth jaw line, the brunette pulled the cloth away from the teen's face for a moment, so that she could wash away the blood with a little water, before repeating the same cleansing process once more. Unfortunately, the water was not overly warm, meaning that the cleaning process took longer than if the water was heated. However, Aeris decided to not voice such a thought aloud, just in case the teen repeated the action he did yesterday with the milk. Afterall, Aeris knew that she would rather work with lukewarm water than watch Kadaj intentionally burn himself again over such a superficial thing.

The brunette sighed...

And washed the cloth once more...

...and although she would never dare to admit it out loud.

...Aeris knew she felt something strangely calming...

...in the simple actions of washing the teen's face.

In parting his soft silver hair to the side.

…and hearing his gentle sighs of breath…

The brunette's lips tweaked upwards into a barest grin, as Kadaj unconsciously began to lean towards the cloth in her fingers, and his lids lowered in an almost sleepy fashion.

'Awwww…'

And it was at this moment…

Aeris realised something about Kadaj that she had never thought of before.

Kadaj…all oddities aside….was actually pretty _**adorable. **_Aeris knew that the kid acted far too guileless to even be taken seriously. He was sweet and harmless. He was cute and innocently childish.

And with each repetitive stroke of the cloth on his skin…

Aeris felt something grow a little more inside of her…

Something which felt…

Almost…

'_Motherly_?'

The hand which held the cloth stilled instantly, and the brunette's eyes widened in surprise.

Then emerald warmth locked onto cold mako green.

And Aeris felt the cloth fall from her fingers.

0o0o0o0o0

'He was in the _**Promised Land**_…'

'He had to be…'

For Kadaj could not think of any other reason how he, a humble servant, had just had his face cleansed by his Mother.

The thought of his Mother's kindness to him, brought new tears to his eyes.

But instead of these tears being created from sadness…

They were born from joy.

For each repetitive stroke had felt so heavenly.

And each touch…

Was so gentle…

And created for Kadaj…

**Only**...for Kadaj.

And not for **'Him'**.

Not for _**Sephiroth**_..

_'No...For me...just for me...'_

The teen had closed his eyes

And a fresh new tear streaked down his cheek.

However this tear, unlike his others he had shed was not tainted with sadness and pain.

No, this tear reflected the hope that Kadaj held for his future.

But then his Mother's hand stopped, and Kadaj instinctively raised his head in search of the brunette's missing touch. On meeting eye contact with her, the teen's eyes marginally widened at his Mother's slack jawed expression. Kadaj could only wonder what the expression could actually mean. In his peripheral vision, he saw the bloodied cloth fall from his Mother's delicate hands. But no sooner than the cloth began its descent to the ground, the teen instinctively snatched the bloodied fabric from the air, without once removing his gaze from his Mother's face.

His sudden movement jerked the brunette back into reality.

And the teen smiled weakly as he offered the crimson stained item back to his Mother's hand.

Aeris could only stare at the teen in dumb bewilderment. Her eyes flittered from the cloth and then at the teen. Then slowly, Aeris reached out and accepted the cloth from Kadaj's hands, all the while thinking over her new internal developments.

o0o

_'W-what is wrong with me?'_

'_Why do I feel so confused?'_

'_This boy… '_

'_This boy…Kadaj… '_

'_He is an enigma…'_

'_An enigma that calls me Mother..'_

'…_who makes me feel like a Mother…'_

'…_.'_

'…_but I am no-one's Mother…'_

o0o

"Are you alright Mother?" Kadaj voiced gently, bringing the flower maiden back to reality.

"Aeris," the brunette replied.

The teen blinked. There was a question in his eyes but Aeris was quick to supply him with an answer.

"Kadaj, I want you to stop calling me Mother." Aeris stated in a calm and clipped tone.

At the teen's hurt look, the brunette continued on. "I honestly don't like you calling me that. It feels strange to me and just not right."

"But Moth-"

"Kadaj!" Aeris interrupted as she held her arms akimbo in clear frustration. "My name is Aeris not Mother. I am simply Aeris. Aeris Gainsborough. Nothing more. Nothing less."

The teen shook his head. Kadaj simply refused to listen.

"No you are not!" the teen exclaimed suddenly, as his eyes began to bleed with emotion.

Startled at the teen's audacity of speech, the brunette narrowed her eyes down upon the silver haired teen. "Oh, then what am I, if I am not simply Aeris?"

"You are not simply anything! You are everything to me Mother! You are everything that is Mother!" Kadaj answered desperately. "You are everything that has yet to be, and everything that has became to be!"

The brunette frowned. She had no idea what the teen had just said.

"Kadaj. What you just said made absolutely no sense to me. Say that to me again?"

The teen shook his head softly.

"There is no simpler way to explain it Mother. You are the intended one. You have been one chosen by '**Him**', so that he can fashion and cleanse you into becomi-aghhh!"

Then all of a sudden, the teen's vision went white. His words were forgotten as his body was hurled into a violent coughing fit. He raised his hands to his mouth. His chest burned with an unnatural level of intense pain. A burning pain. It swept through his veins. It clogged up his thoughts and defragged his memories…taking away images of nights he remembered…and replacing them with memories he had never once lived….

And then…as the burning increased to roaring crescendo of pure unadulterated pain, Kadaj thought he could see a faint light…resonating within the darkness of his pain.

No….

Not a light…

They were eyes….

Green…mako tainted eyes….not unlike his own….staring right into his soul…

And yet unlike his eyes…these mako orbs were stained with emotions which were born from blood and vengeance.

And then to further horrify the already terrified teen.

The eyes began to **speak**.

'**That is enough my puppet…'**

'…**.You may rest for now.'**

Kadaj recognised the voice, for it had spoken to him once before.

'Wha?'

'…Sephir-'

'**Puppet be gone.'**

And just like that, Kadaj's spirit parted from his body, and the boy's face fell forwards…straight into the brunette's lap.

Aeris naturally screeched in surprise, and tried to remove the silver haired head from her thighs.

But then suddenly, the boy's hands clamped on her arms, and then slowly, the teen shifted himself upwards.

And then their eyes met.

o0o

"…_**It's been a while…little one.."**_

o0o

'That voice!'

The brunette felt her heart hitch in her throat.

It was a voice….an extremely familiar voice that was deceptively calm and gentle. The softly worded syllables caressed the brunette's skin, and sent uncontrollable shivers down her spine. The brunette's eyes wavered in growing trepidation. She knew who that voice belonged to. How could she not, when the same very voice haunted her dreams?! And those words…. Aeris only knew of one person who had named her with such bewitching endearments. But Aeris could not understand how **'His'** voice had just came out of Kadaj's mouth.

_o0o_

_'Kadaj and Sephiroth ...'_

_'There is a connection...'_

_'I knew there was a connection between them...'_

_'But I never realised once what it could have been...'_

_'...until...now..'_

_o0o_

"Sssshhh…" The silver haired teen murmured softly as he raised one hand to gently move away a stray copper bang of hair from the flower girl's shock-ridden face.

Tears beaded in the brunette's vision.

'It can't be…" Aeris whispered breathlessly as she stared into the teen's face, looking into eyes….Eyes that she remembered seeing only on 'His' face.

And then the teens lips whipped up into disturbingly familiar thin-lipped smile. And no, it was not a smile that spoke of warmth and kindness. No..

This smile…

It reeked of hunger…

Desire...

And…

Of something else…incredibly….

Arousing!

Hell…if Aeris didn't know better, she would be sure that the face she was staring was being damn right suggestive of only one thing!

And that was when Aeris realised the insanity of what had just happened.

Kadaj...was possessed by Sephiroth!

"_**OH MY GOD!"**_

It was the last thing Aeris could think to scream, before promptly fainting inside the swordsman's arms.

"Hahahahaha."

In Kadaj's body, Sephiroth chuckled softly. The dark laughter reverberated inside the teen's youthful body.

Shaking his head in visible amusement, the swordsman drew the unconscious female towards the sanctity of his hosts body. "Ha-ha…your God _**indeed**_.…"

**Author's Notes**

**Hmmm. How many of you guys were expecting that? Lol. Ah, I haven't done an evil cliff-hanger for a while. It feels nice to know that I haven't lost my touch. Hehe. Sephiroth has possessed Kadaj's body. How? Some of you maybe asking. Why did he not do it sooner? May be other ppls thoughts. Well heh…I'm gonna keep that a secret for now.**

**But dang. I think my plot is beginning to move a little faster. Still too slow for my liking…But ah well…que cera cera. Lol. So the question is…What do you guys think? Did you like this chapter? Hate this chapter? Do you want to throw rotten veggies at me cos of my unexpected evil cliffy? Tell me through your kind reviews. **

**Hee. Lol.**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**Any questions or comments? Feel free to contact me either through email, msn or Myspace. There is a link to my Myspace on my personal profile page.**


	17. Possession

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**3314 words**

**10 pages**

**Chapter 17** **Possession**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the lovely reviews. Heh, I assume most of you guys were surprised with the ending in the last chapter? Lol. It was rather unexpected…**

**Anywho, as for my musical muses today, it has to be the infamous OWA song, and the gorgeous Matrix theme 'Clubbed to Death' by Rob Dougan. I'm hoping to create a very dark and powerful chapter in dedication of Sephy-sama's return.**

**Heh, now enough of my ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

_Green…_

_The colour of memory?_

_And_

_Black…_

_The colour of death…_

_These two colours spiralled across the swordsman's spirit, as he fell deeper and deeper into the darkened depths of the planet's abyss. Sephiroth could not remember the moment when the shades of the Lifestream faded from his soulless vision._

_However…_

_What Sephiroth did remember._

_Was when his soul felt a __**pull**__._

_A pull so strong that not even he, the Great Sephiroth could evade. And so Sephiroth gave into the pull of the Lifestream's current. He willingly let the soul of the planet carry his bleeding and broken spirit into the depths of its mysterious core._

_To a place that no living being had ever been…_

_To the place where his dreams of true perfection had given birth.._

_Sephiroth felt his eyes fall shut…_

_o0o0o0o_

_It was only when the swordsman knew he had finally stopped falling..._

_And it was only when Sephiroth realised that he was finally there…_

_That his mako tainted eyes slowly opened…to greet a world of pure white light…._

_It was a place of resting…_

_The False Paradise…_

_Otherwise known as…_

_His__** Sanctuary**__._

_O0o0o0o_

Laying the flower maiden down to the ground, Sephiroth was quick to cover the brunette's unconscious body with his own. His legs straddled the girl's thighs while his greedy hands moved to grab the brunette's face. Leaning his head forward, the swordsman fondly nuzzled Aeris' cheek. He inhaled the scent of her hair, and tenderly licked the sweat off her skin. The warrior's eyes narrowed in contented pleasure. The sheer taste of her flesh reminded him of the forbidden.

'How long has it been…since I last touched her…?'

The answer was far too long. Lying in the silent depths of the Sanctuary, Sephiroth had been unable to do nothing but wait. From the moment he plunged himself into the life stream, Sephiroth had been in a state of constant suffering. He had suffered both physical pains and mental pain that felt like he had endured for centuries. The taste of mako on his lips had left him in a constant state of nausea. What was even worse was how the wounds which marred his former body from the world above had replicated themselves onto Sephiroth's inner spirit. Each bloody gunshot still oozed with torrents of pure anguish. However, even though his soul was bloodied and broken, it was only due to Sephiroth's strength of will that he managed to survive the long and torturous journey through the eternal green rivers of life. All throughout his journey, the Lifestream had pushed relentlessly against his mental barriers. The planet's intent was clear. It wanted to decimate anything which opposed against it's cycle of life. The Lifestream had recognised Sephiroth as it's enemy, and therefore refused to let the warrior go unpunished. The Lifestream wanted to purge the unnatural taint from its system. The Lifestream wanted to dissolve Sephiroth into nothingness. In all simplicities, the Lifestream wanted to _**destroy**_ him!

However Sephiroth _**refused**_ to be destroyed.

The swordsman's _**will**_ was far too strong for the Lifestream to comprehend. Sephiroth's access to a power beyond the heaven's, prevented the planet from terminating the child born from xenogenesis. However, although Sephiroth was far too strong for the Lifestream to dissolve, that did not prevent the Lifestream from inciting critical damage upon its vengeful enemy. Instead, of aiming to destroy, the Lifestream focused on unravelling the swordsman's spirit to pieces. The Lifestream **stole** vital pieces of the swordsman's memory. It **tore** at the warrior's spiritual mind. The Lifestream **plundered** and **raped** the glowing energies of the swordsman's being. It tried to **bleed** the swordsman's spirit dry. However the swordsman refused to give up without a fight. Sephiroth refused the Lifestream to take away his **Fighting** spirit. He refused to let the Lifestream rip away the strongest threads of his soul. In the end of the fight, Sephiroth had to sacrifice the weakest parts of his bleeding spirit in order for his strongest elements of his soul to survive. Sephiroth chose to save his _**power**_…but in doing so he the remaining parts of his _**humanity**_!

If only the planet had realised the unforeseen gift that it had given the now completely _heartless_ swordsman, then it would have never tried to dissolve Sephiroth's spirit.

The Lifestream, by protecting itself had condemned the fate of the entire planet.

The Great Swordsman Sephiroth, Son of the Calamity, was no longer tied to his former human emotions. Sephiroth had lost his ability to feel compassion, nor could he absorb another's sadness. He could no longer be tainted by fear, nor could he experience any form of happiness or joy.

However, before the Lifestream could absorb Sephiroth's soul entirely, the swordsman managed to tear himself away from its violent green coils, diving past the Planet's defences to hurtle himself into the lower bowels of the planet….to a place that the Lifestream could not even dare to reach…to the place where his Mother was readily waiting for him….

The **Sanctuary**.

And as the swordsman's bleeding spirit fell deeper inside a world void of green purity and light. Sephiroth desperately clutched at the remaining pieces of his inner soul.

These two pieces…these two feelings of emotion which had survived the Lifestream's attack. These feelings, which had remained strong and true despite everything that had been thrown at him.

These only feelings which were holding the very essence of Sephiroth's soul together.

Were…

_**Anger……**_

_**Desire...**_

And _nothing_ more…

Every other emotion that the swordsman once carried in his being had been to the green waves of time…

The swordsman's jaw clenched and shook his head fiercely. His eyes bled with anger as he stared down at the unconscious woman beneath him. If only Aeris had listened to him. If only she had never broken her promise to him. If only fate did not intervene… then he would have managed to journey through the inner rivers of the Lifestream without losing any part of his soul to the accursed planet. It was Aeris' fault that he had became so weak… That he had lost so much of his being because of her all condemning and damnable contrariness. She, a Cetra like he, who did not believe in revenge. She, a Cetra, who had lost so much to her enemy, the Shinra, and yet she was still reluctant to kill.

If only she had not been so _difficult_…then Sephiroth would have been aware of that unknown assassin who had nearly accomplished in taking his life.

"_Aeris_."

The swordsman's throat vibrated with the beginnings of an cold and threatening growl.

Sephiroth knew now, without a doubt.

That Aeris needed to be _punished_ .

The swordsman nuzzled his cheek against Aeris' face fondly. His lips curled upwards in dark amusement when the brunette whimpered softly in her sleep, turning her face away from the dark predator looming above her.

'So innocent," Sephiroth purred softly as he brushed the brunette's cheek with the back of a hand. A hand which Sephiroth realised was far than inferior when compared to his own body. The teen's hand was small, and its bones were indefinitely weak. And yet Sephiroth knew that for the time being, the puppet's body was satisfactory enough for his needs. For now, at least.

The swordsman leaned further forwards to delicately sniff the brunette's dark and luscious hair. It was a scent that he had never forgotten. "So pure.."

His left hand slowly curled itself inside the girl's hair.

"And yet…"

The swordsman's eyes narrowed sharply.

"So very _tainted_."

And Sephiroth pulled the brunette's hair hard.

Aeris awoke with a scream, and her screams only grew louder when her eyes met the swordsman's cold and gleaming mako orbs.

"_Silence_ yourself!" Sephiroth snapped, wrenching the brunette's head backwards.

Aeris was gasping and choking on terrified breaths. "Aeris, you have displeased me, and I will not take your insubordination any longer."

'_You are the reason…why my body was almost dissolved in the Lifestream.'_

His cold mako eyes glared at the brunette's frightened form. "Your defiance almost destroyed my soul."

"L-let me g-go.." Aeris begged as she struggled to free herself from the painful iron grip.

The swordsman snorted at the brunette's heartfelt pleas. His soul had lost all forms of kindness. All which remained in him was his self-righteous hatred. Aeris' tears no longer had any effect on him anymore. "You will never escape me Aeris. That night you tried to run from me…in doing so, you condemned your entire soul to me. Your impudence shall end now!"

The brunette was now whimpering in desperation. Her puny nails were scratching against the hands that were holding her. Sephiroth was much more fearsome than she remembered.

"Beg for my forgiveness and I shall grant it!" Sephiroth demanded.

The brunette closed her eyes and shook her head. Tears were streaming from her eyes. But no amount of tears could cleanse the swordsman's violent anger.

"I said _**beg**_!" The swordsman's voice had became thunderous. Aeris was too petrified to move, let alone to comply to his actions.

Seeing her lack of action for defiance, instead of fear, Sephiroth grabbed the brunette's chin in a bruising grip.

Aeris curled her head backwards. Was Sephiroth going to strike her? The violence in his eyes showed his underlying potential. It was a terrifying sight to see. Especially so, for Aeris had not seen the teen's face warped with so much anger and malice. Aeris was incredibly frightened. At this moment, Aeris wished more than anything that it was Kadaj who was leering at her instead of '_**Him**__'_. Aeris knew she was not yet ready to face Sephiroth. She wasn't strong enough to deal with his murderous rage. The brunette shut her eyes. Sephiroth frightened her, and her body sobbed further with the realisation. Where was the man that she thought she loved? This man, masked within the skin of an innocent child.

This demonic stranger could not be her Sephiroth….?

And yet Aeris could not deny the truth to herself.

Aeris knew that it was him.

For it could be no other….

The truth was found within his eyes.

His eyes burned with a sinful fire that scorched through her soul. Those familiar acid green orbs sickened her. They trapped her, peering right through her skin. Aeris could not see any warmth nor feel any love emanating from those angry mako orbs. There was no glimmer of light.

Only…eternal _**darkness**_.

"NO!" Aeris screamed, as she renewed her struggles.

Her cry was obviously not what Sephiroth wanted to hear.

The swordsman bared his teeth at her. "Submit to me!"

The brunette adamantly refused.

"On your knees and submit!"

"Never!" Aeris screamed to the heavens.

"You will submit to me now!" He roared. His eyes were bleeding mako fire. They were fuelled with desires of the most devilish sin.

Aeris whimpered. Her heart was submerged with an all consuming fear.

"P-please stop…"

'_You're hurting me…Seph… why are you hurting me?'_

"I shall never stop." Sephiroth continued darkly. His words of cruelty were seeping into her veins. They were commanding her to weep aloud. " The Cetra fates have willed it."

Aeris wanted to scream and yet her vocal chords remained traitorously silent. '

The only sound she could make were pathetic half sobs-half whimpers.

And then the swordsman's voice lowered, in a tone of the most gentlest darkness. "I shall be your penance. You will seek forgiveness through me."

Aeris internally screamed.

"I will become your salvation. I will save you from this world, tainted by the fools of avarice."

'_Why can't I say it? Why can't I say the words…the words that he needs to hear?'_

"I will not let you fear anything other than me." He murmured into her neck. "I will become everything you need. This simple world will hold no meaning to you anymore. You shall be cleansed. The filth of humanity will be purged from your blood."

"From each artery…" He whispered as he kissed her skin with the lips of a child.

"…and every vein."

Aeris shuddered, and closed her eyes.

'Stop…'

"And it will be then, and only then, when you will realise the gift that I am giving to you."

"Stop touching me!"

Sephiroth nipped her neck harshly.

And Aeris lashed out suddenly, and her nails ripped across the teen's face. The swordsman snarled in pain, and slammed the brunette's head to the ground, causing Aeris to screech out in pain.

Sephiroth's hands went straight to the brunette's neck. Throttling her. His eyes burned with rage. And for heart-stopping moment, Sephiroth wanted to kill her. If Aeris refused to listen to his words. Then pain would be the answer for all her sins.

"You will listen to me Aeris!" Sephiroth snarled in her ear. He pressed his bleeding cheek against her own, feeling the girl's warm tears melt against his bloodied skin. "For one moment in your life, you are going to obey every word that I say."

Aeris shuddered in the swordsman's violent grip.

How could she defy a man who was holding her life in his hands.

Fear had taken on a new meaning for Aeris.

"It has taken a lot of effort for me to find you Aeris. More effort than should have been necessary. Would you like to know why?"

Aeris clenched her eyes shut in pain.

"That night when you sacrificed eternity over your mortal fear. You made me bleed for you. You made me lose focus. You made me not realise…"

'_The danger that was watching above us.'_

"The planet's wrath nearly destroyed me. My wounds made it difficult for me to fight back. I lost so much of myself in order to survive…and yet…"

'_I feel like I have never been more complete.'_

"Aeris. The planet has sworn vengeance against me, and in doing so has became my enemy. I have cast judgement upon the planet, and it shall be thus. The planet will no longer have control over those who walk its terrain. It will no longer choose who can live, nor who can die. The fate of men…no…the fate of all existence now rests within my hands. I have the power to reclaim the power back to those who rightfully deserve it."

"You do not have the power to do such things."

The words slipped from her lips before she was able to stop them. Aeris' eyes went frightfully huge. She was truly in for it now.

However, Sephiroth merely laughed humourlessly. "Oho, is that what you think?"

"I have ways of obtaining powers that not even you could comprehend. I have the power to see everything. Those who share the infections of my body, are my vessels. I can carry my existence to any of these puppets who share my curse. Of course, these puppets are nothing short of imperfection. I can manipulate them easily to my will. To them, my will is absolute. I am without a doubt, pure perfection."

The brunette hitched a frightened breath. She was beginning to understand the connection.

The swordsman sneered at the sight of his small hands. Hands, which were so unlike his own. "These puppets. These useless…foolish creatures…unworthy of the life I grant them."

The brunette's eyes blurred as she thought of Kadaj's warm smile, and soft and loving gaze.

"They are all easily expendable."

Aeris bit her lip. Oh how she wanted to scream out in defiance.

"These useless shells. These deficient copies, who attempt to look and act, and think like me. They are nothing but remnants of a greater legacy."

"Please…" Aeris whispered as she clenched a hand over the swordsman's chest. "-please stop saying such cruel things…"

"Cruel?"

The swordsman lifted a brow.

"I only speak of what is reality."

Aeris felt her heart crack even further. "Sephiroth…why? Why are you doing this…?"

Sephiroth enclosed the brunette's fingers within his own.

"You know why.." The swordsman murmured softly. There was no sympathy within his tone or his gaze.

The brunette squeezed her eyes shut.

"Aeris…"

She was sobbing silently.

"You will never escape me…"

"I know…" Aeris whispered in his shoulder…

"I will always be watching you…"

"I will always be there…_under_ your skin…"

Aeris shuddered and turned her lips away from the swordsman's attempted kiss.

_'No…'_

'_Please…'_

"_**Don't**_…"

The swordsman paused, and pulled back to then scrutinise the brunette's tearful expression. The more he looked at her, the more the heat began to overwhelm him. Ever since he left her, his soul had felt so cold. There was no warmth or solace to be found within his real body.

Sephiroth knew that it wasn't the brunette's tears that were affecting his thoughts. Nor was it her childlike whimpers. No…it was something else. Something else was bothering him.

"No…this is not right-" Sephiroth stated softly as he removed his hands from the brunette's skin. His catlike eyes gazed downwards at the pitiful appendages. These hands...these girly fingers which looked so weak and delicate. He would have been surprised if these hands had ever touched a real sword, let alone wielded one in battle. It seemed a sin to claim Aeris with such worthless and childlike hands.

The swordsman's lips curled softly.

"No. Now is not the time. For…when I touch you Aeris…it will be with my own hands, and my own flesh… not with this boy…this puppet's, whose body is undeserving of the life that it possesses."

The brunette's body shuddered, and she cringed when the swordsman brushed a stray hair from her vision.

"Your actions amuse me," Sephiroth murmured. "You are such a contradiction."

Aeris tried to pull her head back, but the swordsman held her face in place. "Just remember one thing Aeris."

"I will be watching… and I shall be waiting for you…"

And then the Sephiroth pushed forward and his wet mouth brushed against Aeris' trembling lips.

And when he pulled back.

**Kadaj** was blinking back at her, with the most cutest expression of concern his face.

"Mother?" the boy asked gently, staring at the brunette's tear-stained face. "Are you alright... you look a little... afraid?"

Aeris could not help herself. The sudden transformation was just too much. In a move that completely startled the young teen, Aeris lunged forward in the teen's chest and sobbed her poor and bleeding heart out.

**Author's Notes**

**Yeah yeah, I know, this chapter was as short as hell. My apologises but I made a promise with a friend that I would update this chapter today, regardless of how much I had written. I hope you guys liked it. Hopefully the next chapter will be updated more quickly than this one.**

**Don't forget to review x x x**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**P.S**

**Any questions or comments, feel free to notify me by email, Myspace or messenger.**

**P.S.S**

**Oh, this is totally random but I am a new Naruto fan and I am wondering if anyone knows where I can find the best Kakashi n Sakura fics, Sasuke and Sakura, or Itachi and Sakura. If you do, can you send me the name of the fic in your reviews. **

**Thankies. x x x**


	18. Lunch and Murder

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**3620 words**

**Lunch and Murder**

**Chapter 18**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

9/9/09

**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the uber cool reviews. In all honesty, I wish that I wrote a bit more in the last chapter, but ah…I did promise to have it updated asap since I have been slacking over the updates of previous chapters. I feel like I need to apologise for that, and what better way for me to apologise than for me to update Chapter 18 as fast as I can. Lol**

**Anywho….as for my musical muse, its gonna be anything game soundtrack related. The most inspirational pieces have been the FFXII soundtrack, most especially 'Basch's Reminiscence', the 'Ending Theme' and 'Kiss me Goodbye. The beautiful song, 'Room of Angel' in Silent Hill 4, oh and of course the theme 'Distant Worlds' in FFXI.**

**Oh, I also received a couple of emails from some of you guys, who were a little confused as to what happened in the previous chapter. Most specifically about Sephiroth's return. So, in an attempt to clear up the confusion and niggling questions, I'll try and make it simple. In the last chapter of TLAA1, Vincent shot Sephiroth five times. One of these shots managed to hit Sephiroth's neck while the others were equally as half-fatal. Sephiroth despite attaining these injuries managed to drag himself off the reactor bridge and into the mako below. From here, Sephiroth's 'conscious-state' travelled through the tunnels of the Lifestream to reach the Sanctuary (the place where his 'real' body is resting. A place which was created by Sephiroth's will.) The Sanctuary, in all simplicities is a safe haven, where the remnants of Sephiroth and Jenova will have their reunion. The Sanctuary is by no means the Promised Land or anything of the sort. I know I have labelled it once as an 'Artificial' Promised Land. What I meant by this is how Sephiroth's Sanctuary can cater to any being's need. It's a passive paradise free of human conflict (most specifically Shinra. Lol).**

**But ahh, I forgot to mention the most confusing part of Ch17. Like I said before, Sephiroth was critically wounded by Vincent before he plunged into the currents of the Lifestream. Although, we all know that Cloud wounded Sephiroth the first time he fell into the Lifestream, the wound wasn't nearly as fatal as Vincent's gunshots. Oh, and as Sephiroth was bleeding profusely within the currents of the Lifestream, this was attracting the Planet's inner defences to fight against the foreign intruder. (Think of the way a shark is attracted to the scent of blood in the water…) Sephiroth was too weak to battle against the Lifestream's attacks upon his being, however the Lifestream was not strong enough to 'obliterate' Sephiroth's entire will. Instead, it chipped away at his soul, stealing thoughts…emotions…memories. Pieces of Sephiroth which were vital to his being. What is most significant is how the planet was unable to steal Sephiroth's ****anger**** or ****desire****, as Sephiroth managed to reach the Sanctuary in time. So, in other words, Sephiroth has lost all the warmth and 'dubious' niceties that he once had. He is now gonna be a complete b'tard. A vengeful and single minded killing machine. A cold hearted monster. He will be fuelled by his desires to fulfill his dreams, and his anger will be all-consuming.**

**I hope you guys won't be too disappointed that there will be no more fluffy depictions of Sephy-sama.**

**Awww, I'm beginning to feel sorry for Aeris now…. And Kadaj!**

**Anywho enough of my ramblings and on with the fic!**

_**o0o**_

'_Sephiroth…'_

'_It was you…It was really __**you**__…'_

'_And you spoke to me…'_

_**o0o**_

'_But…'_

_**o0o**_

_I could not say anything…'_

'_I could not speak the words…_

_I so __**desperately**__ needed to say…'_

_**o0o**_

'_Sephiroth…'_

_**o0o**_

'…_what has happened to you…?'_

'…_what has happened to me…?'_

'…_to __**us**__…?'_

_**o0o**_

'…_how did everything..._

_turn out like this…?'_

_**o0o**_

'…_.when did you become so __**black**__ and __**cruel**__…'_

'…_..why…__**why**__ have you changed?'_

'…_your light and smile….where has it gone…?'_

_**o0o**_

'_Where has __my__ Sephiroth gone?'_

'_I want my Sephiroth back..._

_Not that beast…that __**monster**__ who can only make me cry…'_

_**o0o**_

'…_Oh Planet. I would give my __**life**__, if only you could give me back the Sephiroth I love and remember…'_

Their journey had been stalled for yet another day. However Kadaj thought nothing of it. It did not matter to him if they were a day later than they intended, or whether they were a century behind schedule. All that mattered to him was tending to his Mother in the best way that he could. Sitting beside the riverbank, with his legs stretched out in front of him, and his arms propping him up from behind, Kadaj watched his Mother as she tended to her own meal consisting of rice, and other random foliage they had both gathered together earlier on that very day. The brunette had not spoken a word of conversation to him since the early morning, and even then, it was only to apologise for crying on him. And it was that specific morning event which had the silver haired teen completely baffled. One moment he had been crying. The next, he had his mother tending to his face. But then there was a gap in his memory which was then followed by a memory of his Mother sobbing to his chest.

Kadaj remembered the way his Mother clung to him, as if he was the only thing in existence that anchored his Mother to this very world. Her blunt nails dug within his back in clear desperate need for comfort. Her wet and crying face was smashed against his chest, staining his leather coat with her tears of grief. And the sounds which escaped from her throat. They spoke of pure unadulterated sorrow. Each crying chord, went straight to the teen's pining heart. His Mother's pain affected him like it was his own. Each tear of mourning and each crying breath of distress was enough to bring tears to the young teen's eyes.

Kadaj could not bear to see his Mother in pain.

And yet…

The way his Mother had clutched his body against her own, crying and sobbing into his chest.

It evoked a curl of warmth within the teen's breast. It was a feeling of emotion, which was born from his Mother's pain. A gentle smile to crept across the teen's lips as he brought his Mother closer to his body, and he closed his eyes. This was how it was meant to be. This was how he had intended it. His Mother would need no other but he. He could give her all she needed. Warmth and comfort. Peace and loyalty.

But the moment which he wished could last for all eternity, was gone in but a moment. His Mother had retracted herself from his arms, and drew herself from the warmth of his body. And then she slowly raised her sad and tearful eyes upon him. These eyes wavered with so many poignant emotions that were tainted with pure misery. And then she smiled a watery smile.

And murmured softly.

"I'm _sorry_…"

And Aeris had not said anything to Kadaj since….

The teen idly scratched his head. If only he could remember what had happened just before his mind went fuzzy, then he could at least understand why his Mother would say such words to him. It wasn't as if he deserved such an apology. His existence meant nothing when compared to the glory that was his Mother. He existed only for her. Her will was his to obey. His lithe body and his dutiful mind had no other purpose than to protect his Mother with his heart and soul.

Kadaj frowned as he continued to observe his Mother eat. Well, eating probably wasn't the correct word since the brunette was using her chopsticks to play with her rice in ways that Kadaj could not even begin to understand. It was obvious that his Mother was disinterested in eating, however she had not touched any food since yesterday. The teen's forehead creased further. With the amount of land that they had traversed, Aeris needed to eat more sustenance in order to keep her energies up. Another thing the teen realised was how the forest was getting much cooler than he would have deemed preferable for a woman who travelled in just a dress and no shoes.

The teen winced as he eyed the brunette's rough and bruised feet, before eyeing his leather booted soles in mild shame. Why had he never thought of offering his own boots! What kind of cruel son was he?!

Kadaj shook his head. His hands moved to the buckles on his boots, ready to fix the error of his ways….

"Do you ever eat?"

The teen paused in his motions, while curious green eyes turned towards the direction of the voice.

Aeris continued to play with her food idly, and made no attempt to raise her head to the teen's gaze.

"I've just noticed that I have never seen you eat anything. Don't you get hungry? Or is there something abnormal about you that means you do not need to eat?"

A thin brow leapt up over the teen's forehead.

"Err," he hedged weakly, surprised at such a random question. Now that he thought about it, Kadaj knew he hadn't eaten anything for a good few days. It wasn't intended or forced. It was just that he hadn't been thinking of food lately. He had too many other things to think about. For example, his Mother's needs.

"I guess I haven't felt hungry lately," Kadaj answered with a weak shrug.

"Oh.." Aeris murmured to herself, before placing her bowl of rice down, beside another bowl which Kadaj observed was full of cold cooked rice. The teen blinked softly, trying to discern why his Mother would cook herself two portions of rice when she could barely eat a single bowl herself.

'….'

Realisation dawned upon the teen.

"Mother, did you made some rice for me?" Kadaj asked, as he gestured to the full untouched bowl beside the brunette.

Aeris nodded.

Kadaj beamed in clear appreciation. Now that he thought about it. He was famished! Leaping to his feet, the teen strode confidently to his Mother's, before squatting down beside her. Picking up the white bowl with both hands, Kadaj greedily eyed the cold, dull, sticky grains of rice with such a profound joy that one might have believed that the food had once been a holy deliverance from the Gods above. And perhaps to Kadaj, the rice was a holy gift. After all, the food had been made by his Mother. The teen's eyes crinkled softly as he set the bowl down on one of his thighs, before searching the grounds for any form of eating utensils. Finding none, Kadaj pouted softly, almost contemplating the thought of eating his rice with just his bare hands. Although, Kadaj was sure that there were some more chopsticks in his travel bag. He turned his head to the side, to stare at said bag which was lying on its side near the riverbank.

'Ugh…too _far_ away…' the teen thought lazily, as he worked out in his mind how long it would take him to walk the whole ten meter's to reach his bag, to find the chopsticks, before walking the long ten meter's back to begin his meal.

Kadaj, now that he had food seated in front of him, couldn't be bothered to wait any longer to eat.

And then in his peripheral vision, Kadaj saw a pair of eating utensils, and his hands grabbed them before his mind could catch up with him. When he positioned them in his left hand comfortably, the teen paused for a silent moment to eye a couple of grains of stray rice, sticking to the wooden chopsticks. The teen blinked slowly in mild stupidity, before whipping his head up suddenly to stare at a brunette who appeared as bewildered as he was.

An instinct in Kadaj's mind knew that it was incredibly rude to use another's chopsticks. It seemed Aeris knew it too. However that did not stop the teen from snatching a piece of rice between the sticks and rising it up to his open mouth. When the cold rice touched his tongue, Kadaj tried to focus on the flavour of the chopstick in his mouth, hoping that he could taste his Mother on his tongue.

There was no such luck.

'_Damn_.'

Mock sighing to himself, Kadaj moved his chopsticks back to his bowl to grab another sample of rice, before falling into a pattern of methodically eating each portion of rice till none remained in his bowl.

And all the while, Aeris watched him with confused yet earnest eyes as he cleaned his bowl.

"Was it alright?" Aeris asked after a moment, when she was sure the teen had clearly finished.

"Of course Mother." Kadaj answered instantly with a thankful bow. "Although it is a pity we have no meat. I've always wondered what chocobo meat would taste like." The teen pondered wickedly as he thought of a certain small and featherless, pink and ugly bird, who was sure to be dead.

The brunette smiled weakly at the teen. But then her body suddenly froze in horror, and her eyes whipped across their campsite in alarm.

The grin which had worked its way up on the teen's face disappeared as instantly as it came, when he noticed the panic in his Mother's eyes.

Kadaj did not need to even ask what his Mother was about to say, when she suddenly leapt to her feet, and started dashing around the campsite like a crazed mad woman.

"**Kwee-Kwee!"**

Kadaj internally cringed to himself, as he remembered the way he grabbed the bird and tossed him right across the sky.

And that was two days ago!

There was no chance that stupid baby rat could have survived.

And Kadaj knew it.

And that was why his face paled when Aeris suddenly turned upon him and asked the oh so dreaded question.

"Kadaj! Where is Kwee-Kwee?!"

_0o0o0o0o0_

'…_.Oh shit…'_

0o0o0o0o0

Descending quickly from the helicopter, Tseng promptly strode through the thick, tropical terrain towards a rather decrepit bridge. His cold dark eyes critically observed his surroundings, before narrowing critically when they came in contact with the crumbling ziggurat in the distance. It was there as he had expected all along. The Temple of the Ancients. The gunman frowned. The head Turk could sense an arcane magic in the air. He was by no means a magic wielder, but the stench of foreign materia magicks clouded his head, and if he was a little honest with himself, he would admit that the air was making him feel a little disorientated.

Tseng shook his head. He did not have the time to contemplate such inner trivialities. He had a mission to complete. Drawing a hand into the inside pocket of his navy suit, Tseng removed an item that had been recovered from the Gold Saucer. A key which Tseng knew would unlock all the secrets that were necessary to complete his mission.

And that mission was…?

'_**Infiltrate the Temple and seek out its hidden secret…'**_

For Tseng, it seemed like a ridiculous mission for one of his calibre. But his instructions were given to him by the young President himself, and Tseng had never once him. It was an unthinkable act. Besides, Tseng couldn't care less what Rufus was planning. As long as Rufus would fulfil his end of the bargain by cheque, then Tseng would never refuse any mission that was handed before him. It was the Turks way. They were tailored assassins. They did what they were told. They completed each mission that was given to them… All for a small price.

And Tseng had never failed a mission….

And yet at that thought, the dark haired Turk couldn't help but envision a certain green eyed girl, with dark brown hair and wearing a pretty pink dress.…

_Aeris…..the Ancient…I was meant to kidnap you…_

_And yet I didn't…._

_Because I…_

…………_.._

Tseng frowned harshly, when he realised the direction where his thoughts were going. Now was not the time to be thinking of such trivial matters. He was on a mission. He was in unknown territory with no other protection than his loyal gun and his mastered wind and curative materia. Tseng knew he had to keep focus. He had to keep his thoughts simple, for that was what a Turk did. Simplicity was the path of success. Complications brought along unnecessary problems, that a Turk did not want to strife with.

Tseng shook his head and pocketed the ancient artefact.

Striding purposefully towards his intended destination, Tseng whipped out his gun, as he reached the entrance of the ancient ziggurat. Keeping his eye out for an unwelcoming predators from the jungle behind him, the Turk quickly jogged up the many stairs before heading inside the dark temple.

The first thing that Tseng realised when he entered the temple, was that something was disturbingly _**wrong**_ with the room. The Turk couldn't make out what it was exactly. But his long experience as a Turk told him all that he needed to know.

And Tseng's instincts were never wrong.

Tseng raised his gun to eye level and began searching around the many pillars, which were filed row after row inside the great ancient hall.

His eyes grew taut as he quickly eyed the large altar, no wider than a coffin at the centre of the room. His eyes then flickered back to each shadowed wall, assuaging the area of all threats.

However, unbeknownst to the Turk, a dark shadow slithered across the floor, before hiding behind a cracked pillar.

Tseng drew himself back to the centre of the room. The uneasy feeling had still not abated, and yet the Turk had not been able to find any sign of danger. Not being foolish enough to put his weapon away when such an imminent threat could still be lurking within the very walls around him, Tseng instead let the gun hang within his now pseudo-lax fingers.

His cold wutainese eyes then turned there attention upon the large, strange pedestal in front of him. Tseng wisely registered a clear concaved strange shape embedded within the dusty column. It was obvious, even to an idiot, that this was the place where Tseng needed to place his key. And as his fingers moved to draw the ancient artefact out of his pocket….

That was when he felt _pain_!

Such a raw and burning, all consuming pain in his side.

The Turk blinked softly before slowly looking dumbly downwards.

"!"

There was a blade sticking out the right side of his torso, stained with his own blood.

And then the blade was suddenly wrenched out behind him.

And the Turk suddenly fell to his knees.

One hand instantly went to his wounded side, while his gun arm immediately locked onto his enemy target.

And when Tseng locked eyes onto his assailant.

All time stopped.

Tseng had no time to press the trigger of his gun, before the silver blade came down upon him again…..

And then it all went dark.

0o0o0o0o

Chuckling softly to himself, the pale haired murderer withdrew his blade to the side. Tilting his head slightly, the dark villain eyed his most recent butchery. His lips twitched and then he guffawed to himself, with a madness which bore no meaning to no-one but himself. Shaking his head in useless amusement, the cold hearted warrior turned to eye the pedestal and the bloody Turk. The swordsman did not need to eye the dark tilaka on the Turk's head to recognise the identity of this certain blue suited individual. The murderer knew exactly who this dying man was, and what powers he had held within Shinra.

_Tseng._

_The leader of the Turks.._

_Personal bodyguard to the President of Shinra._

The swordsman smirked maliciously.

And then his evil acid-green gaze trailed back to the pedestal before him and took notice of all the foreign markings. It was clear to the swordsman that the pedestal was the only method of entering the lower levels of the temple. It was also clear that the Turk had realised this too. The dark warrior also knew that it was possible for Tseng to possess the key to unlock the pedestal's power.

Dark lips curled even further upwards as he contemplated such a thought.

In all honesty, the pale haired swordsman's really couldn't care less whether Tseng had found the key or not.

Because, the swordsman had no need for such a foolish key.

For the swordsman had other ways of transporting himself through the tomb. If he so wished, he could will his puppet of a body to sink and merge right into the stone floor beneath him.

And that is precisely what Sephiroth did.

**Author's Notes**

**Damn, I thought Sephy was really scary in this chapter. He really has gone off the deep end. Gotta blame the Lifestream for that though. The planet has made Sephiroth insane! Lol. As for Aeris and Kadaj, we all must wonder where little Kwee-kwee has gone! Awww, poor thing.**

**Anywho, what did you guys think?! Don't forget to review you guys. You never know, it might actually make me write faster. Lol**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**P.S**

**Any questions or comments, feel free to notify me by email, msn, myspace or whatever. lol**


	19. Temples and senile old men

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**8459 words**

**22 pages**

**Chapter 19**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Heya everyone! How are you guys doing? I don't know why, but lately my life has been a rollercoaster of stupid emotions. It has been the main reason why I haven't written anything for the last month or so, since my mind has been too preoccupied with the pure crap that is life…ehe hehe. Boy troubles…well man troubles. Lol.**

**Anywho….**

**As for my musical muse today, its fairly varied. Currently, I'm listening to the Magna Carta soundtrack 'Unbelievable'. This piece really evokes a cold and decadent way of thinking…and it fits Vinny to a T. The other pieces in the MC series are really beautiful too, such as the two love themes, 'Even If Separated', and 'Please Remember'. Both pieces create a sense of sad nostalgia, coupled with a fuzzy warmth. Kinda like sipping a nice warm cup of mocha while watching pretty little snowflakes fall right outside your window. Lol. Oh! There is one German band which has got me hooked onto all things dark and beautiful, and that is E Nomine. Their music is excellent if you're trying to envision a gory fight scene or imagining painful emotions associated with a certain OWA. Oh, btw my favourite E Nomine songs so far are Mitternacht and Exitus. Listen to the songs on Youtube if you've never heard of them before, cos they are very, very good.**

**Anywho, now that is out of the way…**

**On with the fic! x**

"Oh god, Oh god, where is Kwee-kwee?"

Aeris had long passed the final stages of hysteria. Now she was acting like a pure lump of quivering jelly.

"Where did I last see him? I know I was holding him right before Sephiroth came? Or was I? No…no I wasn't…?"

Kadaj watched blankly as Aeris dashed around, sifting through all their bags and looking behind trees and idle bushes, in a fervour that only a extremely crazed mother could create. And then Aeris raised her fearful eyes to the fair haired teen.

"This is the clearing we were in, right? This is the right place that we both last saw Kwee-kwee?"

Kadaj blinked slowly. "Um…yes Mother."

'_And I remember throwing him precisely 300 yards west from that very tree you are now standing behind.'_

Kadaj felt both the need to cringe, and to grin at the same time.

"That bird is soooo dead…"

"What?!" Aeris raised her head from the bush she was currently looking inside. "Kadaj! What did you say?"

The teen coughed. "Nothing Mother. I said nothing." The teen mentally chuckled to himself, trying to look at anything other than his Mother's horror stricken face. The brunette sent him a incredulous look, however she was far too anxious with worry to analyse the odd twinkle in the teen's eye.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no…" Aeris ranted to herself, as she tugged her scalp in open worry. If only she could remember the last time she saw her beautiful baby bird. But the only thoughts that invaded her mind were all about '_**Him**_'.

"Did Kwee-kwee get lost? Was he kidnapped? Oh God, oh God… Please tell me he wasn't …Oh Kwee-Kwee where are you?!"

Aeris suddenly turned on Kadaj.

"Kadaj? Tell me again when was the last time that you saw Kwee-kwee?"

The brunette's eyes were so wide and imploring. Kadaj almost felt a small smidgen of guilt for his secret crime. _Almost_.

"I'm not sure Mother. I remember you holding him at one point of time…and then the next…" The teen averted his gaze to the side.

'_He was up in the air and sailing right towards the Promised Land…'_

The teen chuckled softly.

Aeris frowned. "What's so funny Kadaj?"

The teen stopped laughing and sent a gentle grin towards his Mother.

"Nothing Mother," Kadaj repeated softly. "But then…I have been thinking, maybe the chocobo left because it didn't want to stay with us anymore."

Aeris had long since stopped looking for the cute little bird. The teen's words had caught the brunette's interest. "What do you mean Kadaj?"

The teen shrugged. "Maybe Kwee-kwee has realised its place in this world…"

'…_someplace six-feet under…'_

It was getting even harder not to smile.

"I still don't know what you are trying to get at Kadaj? Are you saying that Kwee-kwee left on his own?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Mother.." Kadaj responded simply. "But one thing I do know, is that if we are truly meant to find Kwee-kwee, we will…and if we are not meant to find him, we won't."

The brunette's face crumpled and Kadaj felt the tiniest tingle of guilt tug at the corner of his chest.

"Oh Gods…this is all my fault." Aeris blubbered as she raised a tiny fist to her mouth. "I was so busy worrying about everything else, that I totally forgot about him. Doesn't this just prove yet again how I'm truly a bad person. That I'm selfish, and cruel. I'm heartless, and a bitch and..'

"You're none of these things Mother," Kadaj consoled softly as he took the brunette's other hand into his own. "You are kind and considerate. You are loving and wise. There is nothing bad about you, whatsoever."

The brunette's vision blurred with pure emotion.

"Please, don't say such things Kadaj, because even you should know that they are not true," Aeris murmured quietly, as she extracted her hand out of the teen's grasp.

"I can't remember the last time I did something kind. And in all honesty, when have I ever done anything that was considerate to you, or to anyone else?"

Kadaj opened his mouth to answer.

"Don't lie to me Kadaj," Aeris interjected. "From the moment I met you, you've treated me with nothing but kindness, but I haven't been anything but cold and cruel to you. I don't understand why you feel so obligated to be nice to me, because I don't deserve any of it. Whatever Sephiroth said to you, it has been all a lie."

"But Mother-!" Kadaj cried out in pure aghast, as he brought his arms forward to take the brunette's hand into his own. However Aeris evaded the teen's hands, and stumbled backwards. She brought her own arms to cover her chest.

The brunette's eyes wavered with pure pain. "Kadaj, did Sephiroth ever tell you that he tried to stab me with his own sword?"

The teen's eyes dilated with horror, jerking his head side to side in muted disbelief.

"That… it's not possible…" Kadaj stuttered to himself. Although Kadaj knew he had spoken few words with Sephiroth, he remembered the unhealthy amount of affection and warmth the apostate angel held for this female. It almost rivalled his own…almost. Although, to hear how '_**He**__'_ of all people had tried to harm 'Mother', the key to their entire cause!? It was repulsive and completely unthinkable. Kadaj was beginning to feel nauseous at the very idea. It had to have been a lie. But as Kadaj continued to stare into the brunette's eyes, glimmering with unshed tears, he knew that his Mother's next words were anything but untrue.

"Sephiroth attacked me with his thoughts and dreams. His hidden secret was to kill me, so that I could meet his Mother. He never told me.." Aeris swallowed a choking breath. "He _never_ ever considered that I might not want to die. That there were other things I wanted to do in life, before I crossed over to the Promised Land!"

It was getting even harder to contain the emotions in. It did not help matters that whenever Aeris looked at Kadaj, all she could see was '_**Him**__'_.

"….the funny thing is… if I knew what Sephiroth was planning from the very beginning, I think I might have actually considered to go along with his dark intentions."

The brunette laughed mirthlessly to herself, however Kadaj did not focus on the mournful sound, as he was too disturbed by the one tear which had slipped out of his Mother's emerald eye.

"What is even funnier Kadaj…is that the more I think about _**Him**_. About Sephiroth. It makes me realise that I deserve to carry this pain and guilt within myself. For at the end of the day, I was far too blind to see what was staring right in front of me. That Sephiroth had been hurting all along, but I was far too naïve to help him free himself from his anger and thirst for revenge…"

"Mother…" Kadaj pleaded softly as he moved forward to enclose his arms around her. Aeris didn't even attempt to stop him. "Don't cry."

The teen's words only made the tears fall all the more harder.

"Kadaj, do you know that you are nothing like _**Him**_," Aeris whispered into the teen's neck. Kadaj felt his throat tighten as he tried to gauge the meaning of his Mother's words. Did it mean she accepted him, or was planning to reject him.

"Don't change Kadaj. Please don't change," Aeris finished as she crushed her face into the teen's neck. The ball in the teen's throat tightened. It was the answer he hoped for. But what Kadaj could not understand was how he felt the sudden urge to weep himself.

"I won't change. Mother. I promise." He swore on a whisper.

The brunette went silent for a moment

"Promises…" Aeris murmured against the teen's shoulder. "Promises?"

"Why do people make promises they know they cannot keep? Why do we make such lies just to make those we care about happy…?"

Kadaj could not answer her.

"Is it because we know the truth will make us sad? Is fantasy truly better than reality? Is it nicer to live in a world where we know no fear? In a world where we never have to worry about the people who are closest to us, trying to harm us? I don't think I know the answer Kadaj. And in all honesty, I don't want to know. Because if I did. I think I would break and would never be able to find myself again…"

Kadaj's grip on his Mother tightened.

"Kadaj, have you ever felt lost within yourself? When you don't understand why you are living for tomorrow, when yesterday had no purpose for today?"

"I don't know….sometimes…" Kadaj replied honestly, as he watched his Mother's trembling hands. "But then I only have to think of my mission, and then it makes me remember my single purpose for living once more."

"And that is?" Aeris asked quietly, even though she already knew the answer.

"I live for **you** Mother. I live for your safety. For your protection and your happiness. I have no other purpose than to make your wishes come true."

Aeris shuddered. Kadaj's words... They disturbed her as much as they comforted her.

"But Kadaj, what about before….when I wasn't around, what was your _**purpose**_…?"

"…my _**purpose**_ was to find you Mother…"

If it was any other time, Aeris would have rolled her eyes.

"But Kadaj, what is **my** purpose…?"

"I don't know Mother. Maybe it hasn't came to you yet. Maybe you are already doing it now but you haven't realised what it is exactly…"

The brunette silently contemplated the teen's words. It was an interesting concept to say the least. It made her feel like she might be on the path to doing the right thing, even though, at the very moment, she couldn't deny that she felt very, very lost and frightened about her own future.

"Kadaj…even though you are pretty weird…I think I'm starting to like you a little bit more."

The teen blushed and bowed his head down in utmost respect.

Aeris grinned inwardly. and couldn't help but tussle the teen's perfectly well groomed locks.

"Mother…" he stated bashfully, as his face flushed even redder.

"Still not sure if I can ever get used to being called that though…" Aeris sighed wistfully, as she withdrew her hand from the teen's soft hair.

"**KKKKKWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRKKKK?!??!?"**

Both Aeris and Kadaj twisted their heads in the direction of an awfully familiar sound.

Aeris' heart soared instantly, while Kadaj immediately felt his expression sour distastefully.

Leaping right out of the teen's grasp, Aeris sprinted like a mad woman towards the bird-like cry.

"Hey wait Mother!" Kadaj yelped as he hastily flipped himself to his feet and dashed after her, nearly forgetting his satchel in the process.

When he reached his Mother's side, Kadaj immediately moved his right hand towards his blade, as an odd figure in purple waddled into the clearing. However what was most interesting about the purple being was the sight of a familiar looking feathered rat nestled within the stranger's arms.

The brunette's eyes filled with tears of joy, while Kadaj rolled his eyes upwards in controlled disgust. Both had the same thought on their mind.

"Oh-my-God, he's still alive…"

However while both Kadaj's and Aeris' mutually thought up the same words in their head, their views of said thought were on opposing sides of the emotional spectrum. It was easy to announce that Kadaj wasn't overly ecstatic with the unexpected reunion of their little lost friend. Any stranger could tell this by the growing sneer that was forming on the teen's upper lip. However Aeris was oblivious to the pale haired teen inner torment. Her smile was growing wider and wider with both joy and relief.

And as the purple cloaked stranger made its way towards the pair, Kadaj silently withdrew Souba, and watched with wary eyes for a sign of attack.

"Kwee-Kwee!" Aeris screamed out in glee.

"Oh is he yours?" The bearded stranger asked with a mellow laugh of amusement.

0o0o0o0o0

**Chocobo Sage's Home**

0o0o0o0o0o

Kadaj was far from impressed with the filthy chaos that their oh so kind '_host'_ labelled his home.

The whole house smelt like _chocobo_. There were feathers everywhere. And where there weren't feathers… The silver haired teen curled his lip up in revulsion. When he entered the room, he instantly stepped closer to his Mother's side. The sights he was seeing was just…._repulsive_.

The teen wrinkled his nose and eyed his Mother to side of him. She seemed to be oblivious to the nasty stench in the air. Or maybe she was better at keeping her thoughts to herself. Kadaj doubted that thought in an instant. He knew that his Mother was so over the moon after finding Kwee-Kwee that she hadn't had the time to concentrate on anything else other than the stupid yellow rat-bird.

Aeris blinked as she eyed the room she had been invited within. She couldn't believe how many different colours she could see. And these colours were in the form of happily chirping chocobos. There was a large red one right to her left, and a blue one by the window. Three yellows had stationed themselves right by the crackling fire, and across the other side of the room, a baby white bird was sleeping on a wooden rocking chair. Her gaze then eventually fell on the wooden dining table. Then she blinked and made a double take. There was a fat chocobo sitting on top of the table, eating strange green vegetables off a white dinner plate.

"Yohoho! My my! It has been a while since I have seen visitors in this forest! Hullo dear travellers, how are you this fine evening?"

Both Aeris and Kadaj simultaneously looked out the window to observe the bright sky.

And then they looked at each other.

Then back at the strange traveller.

"Don't you mean morning?" Aeris inquired gently, as her eyes fell back on the little chocobo in the strangers arms.

The stranger looked outside, and was rather surprised to see a sun staring back down at him, and not a cold white moon. "Ohoho. Well the last time I looked up, I was sure it was evening. Oh well… the evening will return again as soon as night follows day, yohohoho."

Kadaj sighed inwardly . He wasn't sure whether it was from amusement….or annoyance. The teen decided it was the latter when he heard the crazy bearded man giggle again in a high pitched decibel. It was a less than acceptable sound to hear when one had extremely sensitive ears such as he.

Keeping her eyes on Kwee-Kwee all the while, Aeris began with the questions.

"What…I mean, who are you sir?" she began, as her face flushed at the obvious blunder of her words.

The purple cloaked stranger did not seem offended by the brunette's words. If anything, he was pleasantly amused. "I am the Chocobo Sage dear child," he chortled warmly.

"The Chocobo Sage?" Aeris repeated, as she turned to gaze about at her surroundings. Now everything was starting to make sense. And here she thought this man was merely a psychotic chocobo fanatic….

The Sage beamed, which caused his eyes to crinkle at the corners. But no sooner than the expression appeared on his face, it disappeared in a flash, and was replaced with a rather mildly puzzled frown. The Sage blinked, and stared at Aeris and Kadaj, before asking in a confused voice. "By the way my friends…who are you…and…erm…why are you here?"

Both Kadaj and Aeris face-vaulted. "Um…you invited us here…" Aeris replied slowly and cautiously.

"I did..?" The Sage looked perfectly surprised by the brunette's answer. He blinked again, and then smiled.

"So…ohoho, why are you here again…?"

Kadaj internally groaned to himself. They were so close to the front door. Just three easy steps and he and his Mother could escape this stinky hellhole and get away from the most annoying old fart that had the displeasure of being born from the planet. The tacky green wizard hat and the dirty overgrown beard was clearly not a pleasant sight to see. But much more than anything else, it was the smell that was getting to Kadaj. Well Kadaj knew that one thing was for certain, and that was how chocobo perfume would never hit the shelves.

'_But the senile coot does have a point. Why are we still here?'_

One look at the ugly feathered twit was enough to rekindle the teen's memory.

'Ah yes…that's why…ugh…'

Kadaj internally rolled his eyes, but then his gaze hardened as he noticed a rather peculiar find. It appeared that the Chocobo Sage was reluctant to hand over Kwee-Kwee to his Mother, what with the way he was holding the chocobo protectively to his side, and stepping backwards whenever Aeris leant forwards to pet the little rat bird.

"He was a little starved when I found him, so I gave him some of my best greens. This is a Gold Winner. I'd bet my beard on it." The sage remarked proudly, while Kadaj and Aeris watched him feed Kwee-kwee a small pink pebble.

Aeris leant her arm forward to pet Kwee-Kwee on the head.

However the Sage sneakily pivoted on his foot, causing the brunette to touch nothing but air.

A minor tick appeared on the flower girl's left brow.

"Such a good little Choco-boko! Aren't you?" The sage teased warmly, as his old and weathered hand patted the little bird on the head, before feeding it another coloured pellet.

Kwee-kwee answered with a happy chirp of glee and continued to eat.

"So…what do you think?" The Sage asked, as he turned his beady eyes onto Kadaj and Aeris.

"Of what?" Aeris asked cautiously.

The Sage snorted with ill humour. "Of my newest chocobo of course,"

The brunette frowned. Surely she didn't hear right. "Excuse me? Your chocobo?"

"Why yes! Did I not tell you that I found him a day ago, hungry and shivering from the cold. His right wing was a little crooked, but I easily sorted that out didn't I little Boko."

"But it's my chocobo," Aeris answered in high pitched disbelief.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken milady but you did not find him, I did." The Sage answered amiably.

The brunette's eyes flared in warning. "Kwee-kwee's mine." Aeris said with pure vehemence in her voice. She was getting deeply angry now.

"Did you not hear what I said?" The Sage asked, as he began to step backwards, all the while keeping Kwee-Kwee to his chest.

"No, you did not hear what **I **said," Aeris replied, as she followed the Sage's movements with strong and intimidating footsteps of her own. "His name is not Boko, it's Kwee-Kwee! I found him and you aren't taking him away from me!"

"Mother…" Kadaj murmured in awe. There was a part of him that was still quite jealous of the yellow feathered rat, but hearing the violent possessiveness in his Mother's tone. It sent delightful shivers up and down the teenager's spine. Kadaj only prayed that some day, his Mother would speak such words of passion for his person and be as insanely protective of him, as she was of her little feathered rat creature.

The teen shuddered again at the thought. It would be everything he had always wanted and more...

"But young lady…" The Sage continued awkwardly as he moved behind the table.

"I'm hearing none of it. Give back my Kwee-Kwee!" Aeris spat back. She drew out her hands, gesturing for the Sage to follow her verbal commands.

"But young lady, have you ever owned a baby chocobo?" The Sage argued weakly. "They aren't easy to raise. I'm sure you don't know the right combinations of greens to feed him. Nor do you know the amount of milk that he will need and what times it should be taken."

"It doesn't matter. I can learn just like any new Mother." Aeris answered back swiftly and surely.

The Sage was mentally sweating now. "But do u know that if I hadn't have found 'Kwee-Kwee' before I did, then he would have died?"

Aeris became deathly silent and she clenched her hands at her sides.

The brunette couldn't find an answer for that.

And so the Sage continued on. "Yes, when I found Kwee-Kwee he was in a mighty poor state. He was starving at such a young age. His feathers were in desperate need of grooming, not to mention his beak was scratched, and he has caught a season cold. The poor poor dear."

Aeris bit her tongue, and watched with icy eyes as the Sage sat down at the table. With one hand, he settled Kwee-Kwee to his chest, and with the other, he prepared himself a cup of tea.

"You see miss, you are not yet old enough, nor wise enough to take care of a delicate creature such as this. Do you not realise the amount of care you need to give to a newborn chocobo. The length of dedication and time you must administer upon them. They are defenceless without the aid of a needy mother. And knowing that you have already abandoned your chocobo once to the wild, I simply cannot trust you to take care of such a beautiful and magnificent creature. The bird might have survived once, but what about the next time? Young girl's these days are too swept up within their own selfish lives to care for the needs of those around them."

Aeris looked ready to cry.

"Don't talk to my mother that way, you lowlife!" Kadaj snapped. His hand was on his sword and he would have whipped out in an instant if it weren't for Aeris grabbing his shoulder in haste.

The elder Sage yelped back in alarm and nearly sloshed tea all the way down his beard. "Why sonny, that is no way to talk to your elders!"

"How dare you speak back to me, you traitorous piece of filth!" Kadaj cried out with pure rage burning in his eyes. "You, who is undeserving of the life that the planet breathed inside of you. Do you not know who you are standing before?"

The Sage scratched the back of his head. "Erm…an albino freak and a shoeless woman?"

Aeris had to quite literally pull Kadaj back to prevent him from killing the foolhardy man.

"No! You old wrinkly assed bastard!"

"Kadaj!" Aeris exclaimed in horror as she jolted away from the thoroughly pissed off teen.

"Mother! Let me take his life to appease your suffering," Kadaj demanded passionately, as he took a first gleeful swing of Souba.

The old Chocobo Sage was far too frightened to move.

"Kadaj! No! Don't!" Aeris protested, as she lunged forward to grab the teen's sword arm. "Don't kill him!"

"As you wish Mother…." Kadaj answered with a childlike pout. "But can I at least stab him once, or twice. Nothing too fatal of course," Kadaj responded with a lick of his lips. "After all, suffering is my speciality."

"NO!" Aeris exclaimed hotly.

The teen frowned in mild disappointment, however he complied with his Mother's wishes.

"Just give the rat back and we'll be out of your hair," Kadaj demanded, pointing the tip of Souba at his intended target.

"B-B-but.." The Elder Sage warbled. "You wouldn't be able to take care of him like I can. I've had decades of experience. I can understand the heart of a Chocobo. I know what they want and I can give them what they need."

"Look, just give him back. I'm not going to repeat myself," Kadaj replied coldly.

"But…but… Boko-"

"Kwee-Kwee," Aeris interrupted.

"Um yes, Kwee-Kwee, is far too young and delicate to travel towards the cold perils of the North. For I'm sure that is where you two are both going."

Aeris mentally flinched while Kadaj remained calm and indifferent.

And then the Sage continued on.

"And to make someone so young and helpless brave the coldest winters on the planet. That is just so very… inhumanly cruel. You are risking your chocobo's health and well being. Now if your bird was born to the snow, like my little whitey over there on the chair, then there would be no problem. But could anyone be so inhumane and selfish as to risk the life of a baby chick?"

The brunette bit her lip in growing worry.

"I know I couldn't," The Sage said with a gentle shake of his head. "Could you sonny?"

Kadaj grinned. "Course I could!" he answered proudly. "Now hand the bird over,"

The Sage's eyes widened with pure alarm. "But my son, did you not hear what I just said?!"

The teen's eyes gleamed warmly. "Of course I did. And in all honesty, I really don't give a damn. Your words mean nothing to me."

The Sage looked impossibly appalled even though Kadaj was positively beaming.

"Isn't that right Mother?"

The brunette made no answer.

The teen turned his head towards his Mother's direction. The moment their eyes met, Kadaj's smile slipped from his face, to be replaced with a worried frown.

"Mother?" Kadaj questioned softly. "What's wrong?"

"Maybe the Sage is right," Aeris murmured softly as she brought her arms up to her chest. "Maybe it would be better if Kwee-Kwee stayed with someone who knows how to properly take care of him. Someone who can keep him happy and safe for now, until my mission is over."

The brunette's eyes began to waver with painful emotions.

"Are you sure that's what you wish Mother. I can take the bird back by force if necessary," Kadaj questioned softly.

Aeris shook her head. "No. It's alright Kadaj. I know that this is the right thing to do,"

"Please...May I hold him?" Aeris asked tearfully.

"Of course my child," the Sage answered warmly, as he passed the little feathered bird into the brunette's arms.

"Kwee-Kwee."

The chocobo's beady little eyes blinked slowly.

"Kwaar??"

And Aeris felt her heart clench in its chest.

"I'm sorry but the Sage is right. Where I'm going, is no place for a cute little chocobo like you. I'm sorry little one. I really am. But you can't stay with me. The only thing I can promise is that I'll return for you some day. I hope you will remember me as I will remember you."

Dipping her head downwards, she kissed the bird's brow and tried to imprint the cute image of the cute chick to memory, before reluctantly handing back the bird to the old Sage. Even though she had not known the bird for so long, Aeris had already grown a maternal instinct for the yellow feathered creature. Her heart felt like it was breaking at the thought of leaving the bird behind. But in her heart of hearts, she knew it was the best and only thing she could do.

And that was why it hurt so much, because Aeris knew that sometimes, doing the right thing in life usually involved more pain and sadness than joy or pleasure.

Aeris tried to smile, but the tears began to fall before her lips could attempt to move.

"Oh my dear, don't be sad. My door will always be open to you," the Sage said kindly. "And I'm sure Kwee-Kwee will happily await your return...of course when he's grown a little bigger. Then, I'm sure he'll be strong enough to join you on your quest."

This time, Aeris did smile. She felt too emotional to speak, and she was in no mood to speak a language of tears to the friendly yet senile stranger. Turning her back to the Elder, the brunette tried to compose herself, and all the while Kadaj watched her with calm and consoling eyes. Kadaj never liked seeing his Mother upset. After all, her pain was his pain, and no good son would ever want his Mother to feel sad.

"Oh miss?"

Aeris inhaled a breath to compose herself, before turning around to face the Sage.

"Yes?" she asked weakly.

"I was just thinking…..since you are travelling North…that it might be wise to invest in some travelling shoes?"

Aeris flushed and stared down at her bare feet in mild embarrassment. The brunette knew the Sage was right. Her feet were in poor condition. Aeris could only imagine the future punishment her feet would have to go through if she were to travel the snowy cold mountains of the North.

"If you want, I could give you a spare pair of mine," The Sage offered, pointing to a pair of unsavoury green leather boots. They looked a couple of sizes too big. But Aeris realised that beggars couldn't be choosers. Ugly shoes were a much better choice than cold bare feet.

"If it's alright with you," Aeris agreed softly, which called the old man to smile. The Sage waddled over to the boots, and picked them both up, before passing them over to the brunette. Aeris gently thanked the Sage before slipping the huge and monstrous green things to her feet. As she slipped the first boot on, Aeris was immensely surprised to feel how comfortable they were. She flexed her toes within the warm leather. They felt like pure heaven. Quickly slipping her foot inside the other boot, Aeris jumped a couple of times on the spot. She couldn't believe how 'bouncy' they felt.

"Ohoho, it seems you really like them,"

The brunette stopped bouncing when she realised that both Kadaj and the Sage were observing her childish antics. Shyly scratching the back of her head, Aeris smiled weakly. "Thank you for the boots and the hospitality you have given us both. And thank you for looking after Kwee-kwee for me,"

The Sage's eyes twinkled warmly. "You're welcome dear child. Remember that the door will always remain open for you, any time you wish to visit."

Aeris felt her smile slip slowly as her eyes flitted back to Kwee-Kwee, but she forced herself to maintain her self composure.

"Kadaj, are you ready to go?" Aeris asked, as she turned to eye her silver haired companion. The teen sent her an amused look which easily spoke the message '_I was ready to leave before I even walked through the front door_'.

The brunette shook her head. Kadaj was always so easy to read. It was probably the most distinctive characteristic that made him all the more different than….

'_I thought I promised myself never to compare the two again…'_

"Let's go Kadaj," Aeris murmured. And then the brunette was out the door.

Kadaj immediately followed on from behind. But then something caused him to stop, and turn back to face the Elder Sage.

"Hey old geezer. If you know what's good for you, you'll take care of that bird. For if you don't…" The teen paused in contemplation. "Well… you really wouldn't want to find out, for sometimes I can get a little too creative with my handy Souba," Kadaj patted the sword at his side. "And I have a slight feeling that you wouldn't enjoy whatever I had planned for you."

The Sage gulped. "You're chocobo will be safe here,"

The teen snorted. "See that it is."

And with a final disdainful look around the room, Kadaj sauntered past the Sage and strode proudly out the main entrance, slamming the door shut so loudly that it caused the very foundations of the floors and walls to tremble.

The Sage continued to stare emptily at the door where the silver haired teen had just left, before waddling calmly into the nearest chair at the table. The Sage rubbed between his eyes and then looked down at the bird in his arms.

A confused look covered his entire vision, and then it cleared just as quickly. "Ohohoho, weren't they such nice people my little Boko," The Sage chuckled warmly. "Now if only I could remember why they wished to visit me… ohohoho."

0o0o0o0o0o

Cloud couldn't believe it. It was the same vision that he had seen in his dreams. Right down to the same decrepit bridge and eerie ziggurat which stood proudly in his sight of memory. Cloud did not know what secrets could lay inside the ancient pyramid. The only thing he knew was that he needed to go inside, for something crucial would be revealed to him. Something of great importance. The blond tensed his jaw and turned to the rest of his party.

Both Tifa and Red were enamoured with the ancient architecture, while Barret and Cid seemed like they couldn't care less about the supernatural beauty of their surroundings. The only thing that Cid seemed to be concerned about, was his lighter which refused to light up his cigarrette.

"Ah god-damn it all!" He cursed loudly. The words were more muffled as he kept the unlit cigarette trapped within his mouth.

Yuffie laughed at the pilots misfortune. "Maybe the Gods are trying to send you a sign gramps, before you kick the bucket."

Cid sneered at the cheeky ninja. "The Gods can send me as many signs as they want, but that doesn't mean I have to read any of them-Aha!" he cheered as the flame gleefully latched onto the tip of his cigarette. Inhaling a joyous puff of toxins, the pilot rolled his eyes back in pure euphoria.

On the far right of Cloud's party stood the ever so silent Vincent Valentine. The blond quickly observed the Ex-Turk with unwavering eyes before quickly turning away. He couldn't understand why, but there was always something so unnerving about watching the raven haired man. If one was to quickly glimpse the Ex-Turk, his presence was almost forgettable. However if you turned your head back again, you would see the gunman's unnatural crimson tinted eyes observing you with the cold precision of a hawk watching its prey. There were many other things which made Vincent peculiar, however Cloud really didn't want to think about them at this very moment. He had more important matters to think about. Such as…his _dreams_… and the reality he was facing now.

"Alright everyone," Cloud began. Everyone raised their eyes to meet their leader. "I can't explain why, but something tells me that we need to go inside this temple."

Five pairs of eyes blinked in pure bafflement, while Vincent slowly blinked.

And then Cloud continued on.

"Last night, I had a dream."

Cid rolled his eyes, and readied his hand for another cigarette, even though he hadn't halfway finished his first one. He had a feeling that whatever Cloud dreamt, would be far from a normal dream. From the moment Cid had met the younger blond, he knew that the kid was tapped in the head. The pilot assumed that the blond's next words were only going to prove him right.

And they did.

"I dreamt of Sephiroth and Aeris. They were holding each other."

Cid nearly swallowed his cigarette. He was expecting something weird, however the pilot realised that he had underestimated the insanity of Cloud's mind.

"Erm Spike, what's that got to do with us entering this temple?" The pilot asked slowly, while everyone sans Vincent sent the younger blond incredulous looks of surprise.

The Ex-Soldier scratched his head uneasily. "I don't know why. But I know Sephiroth wanted me to come to this temple. He touched my face-" Cloud paused to imitate the silver swordsman's action in his head. "And fed me strange images. One of these images was of this building."

"Erm Cloud, are you sure you didn't eat something bad before you went to bed?" Yuffie asked in a mock concerned voice. "Your dreams seem more unnatural than mine. And man my head is like a television box. The only difference is that I can watch any channel I want without paying a penny! Haha!"

The Ex-SOLDIER frowned and turned his head away.

"Yuffie," Tifa warned, as she instinctively went towards her leader's immediate defence.

"Maybe Yuffie is right, but still…I want to go inside. If you guys don't want to follow me, then that's fine. I'll go by myself," Cloud stated emotionlessly. "And-"

"Hey, you can't get rid of us that easily Cloud," Barret interrupted before his blond leader could say any more. "Avalanche is right behind you! Right guys?" The former Avalanche leader was rewarded with cheers and nods of agreement from the rest of his fellow comrades. "Sides, if you think there might be a connection with this place and Sephiroth or Aeris, den what are we waiting for foo? Lets go!"

Cloud felt his lips twitch weakly at the level of confidence and passion within the burly gunner's voice. '

"Ok guys. I have no idea how long it may take for all of us to get through this temple, nor do I have any idea what we may find and so-"

"Cloud, shut up!" Yuffie interrupted, causing the blond's eyes to widen in surprise. "The moment for talking has passed. Why are we standing outside when there could be piles of priceless treasure waiting to be plundered?! Ooh just image the different kinds of materia that could be hidden in there!?" The ninja's eyes were gleaming with thoughts of her rapacious needs. She gleefully pumped her hands in the air. "Hey! Come on everybody! We have no time to lose! Oh and if anyone finds any materia in there, I claim dibs on all of it!" Yuffie cheered, before sprinting like a mad woman to the entrance of the Ancient temple, uncaring how she had left the rest of her team in her dust.

A single sweat-drop slithered down Cloud's temple, but then he smiled softly and turned to the others. "Alright then, like Yuffie said, we have no time to lose. So let's go."

0o0o0o0o0o

**The Temple of the Ancients….Entrance Hall…**

0o0o0o0o0o0

The seven members of Avalanche strode purposefully inside the cold and lonely remains of the mysterious temple. Cloud was of course leading the group. His sharp blue tinted eyes flickered between the weathered walls and solid pillars. And all the while, his mind tried to trace whether he could find something that would spark a memory from his unforgettable dream. Even if it was a tiny fragment, it could help solidify his belief that there was a connection between Sephiroth, Aeris and the Ancient Ruins.

"Cloud."

The blond leader stopped moving, and quickly turned his attention to Red XIII. The fire beast was sniffing the air, and his hackles had risen, as if he was awaiting an attack at any given moment. But then Red's fighting stance sagged, and his singular eye rose up to meet the gaze of his leader.

"Blood …I can smell blood," Red murmured quietly. "From up ahead."

Cloud tightened his jaw in acknowledgement. "Hn." The blond withdrew his blade and gestured for everyone else to draw their own weapons. They all did so eagerly, except Vincent who seemed happy enough to keep his gun inside his holster for the time being. The blond furrowed his brows at the mysterious gunman, but did not bother to question Vincent's motives. Turning his eyes back to the direction ahead, Cloud silently commanded the others to follow him. With Cloud and Red in front, Tifa, Yuffie and Cid in the centre, and Barret and Vincent from behind, Avalanche warily made their way to the centre of the room, where an ominous looking dais stood between two large pillars.

And when they reached it, Yuffie was the first to speak out.

"Hey! There's nothing here!" The loud ninja shouted out, winning a few glares from the rest of her party members.

Cloud furrowed his brow and looked at Red, however the fire beast appeared just as confused.

"Cloud, look."

The blond darted his eyes to Vincent, noticing how the gunman was curiously looking behind a pillar to the left of the altar. The Ex-Turk turned crimson eyes towards Cloud, and the blond was surprised to see a strange glow lurking beneath the fiery depths. And then the gunman moved his body to the side, and Cloud realised what Vincent had wanted him to see.

It was...

A corpse?

"Well I'll be damned," Barret swore to himself as he eyed the mess of blood which met his vision.

Cloud frowned. "It's Tseng of the Turks," he murmured aloud, as his gaze flickered from the crimson stained blue suit, and the trademark mole that was centred on the fallen Turk's head.

"Is he…dead?" Tifa asked, feeling rather queasy at the sight. She had never really liked Tseng, but the sight still disturbed her.

Cloud wasn't sure, but it seemed like a good idea to check. However before he had the chance to lean forward, the corpse suddenly moved!

The blond immediately jolted backwards.

"I'm still alive," The bloodied Turk rasped weakly, as bloodshot eyes opened slowly to observe the seven Avalanche members which stood over him.

"What happened?" Cloud asked.

Tseng cringed, as the pain in his side became almost unbearable. "He's here…He's inside…"

A cold shiver ran down the back of Cloud's spine. "Sephiroth? He's inside?"

The Turk was finding it hard to breathe. "F-find out…for yourself…ugh," His chest was rising and falling in an uneven rhythm. "My hand…here…take…the keystone…and put…on altar…" Tseng did not even have the strength to pass the ancient relic to the blond leader of Avalanche. Cloud had to take it from the Turk's ice white fingers. And when Cloud raised the item to his direct line of sight.

His heart leapt right up into his throat.

_'The Keystone...it looks just like the one from my dream...'_

The blond immediately pulled back from Tseng. He knew it. He just knew that his dream meant something.

'…_so does that mean __**she**__ is…here too?'_

"Tseng? Is Aeris here?" Cloud asked Tseng.

"……….." However the Turk made no answer. He had lolled his head to one side, appearing completely dead to the world.

"Is he…?" Tifa asked eventually.

Cloud leaned forward to check Tseng's pulse. He shook his head in negative. "He's alive…… just barely…'

Tifa brought her arms to her chest. Her skin was crawling and she was beginning to feel a little queasy. The sick sensation only grew as she continued to stare at the Turk's wounded body. The nightmare was trying to steal her conscious away. In her mind, the Turk's bloodied form had been replaced with the corpse of her father. The brunette inwardly shuddered, and she clenched her eyes shut to control her inner turmoil. Now was not the time for memories of sorrow. Now was the time for painful retribution. When Tifa reopened her eyes, all which remained in her chocolate toned eyes was an all consuming hate for the man who destroyed her life.

'Sephiroth.'

Her upper lip curled up darkly.

Cloud stared between the altar and the key. Why did he have a feeling that something extremely bad was about to happen?

The blond swallowed an easy breath and turned to the rest of his team-mates...

"Has anyone changed there minds about going further in the temple?"

No-one responded.

"Alright then..." Cloud sighed as he moved towards the altar and moved the Keystone into position. "But this will be the last time that you get to decide..."

The dais suddenly sprang to life, and Cloud took no time to hesitate when he jumped on the platform. The others quickly followed in turn and they all waited with bated breath as the platform began to carry them downwards into the next level of the temple ruins.

0o0o0o0o0o

**Level 2- Temple Ruins.**

0o0o0o0o0o

The entire room was filled with laughter. Insane and violent laughter.

"Hahahahhahahaahahhaaha! You've got to be shitting me! Ahahahahaha!"

Although only one member of Avalanche was laughing, the other remaining members could see no humour in the same sight that they could all see.

"This takes the bloody piss! Yup, this most certainly takes the biscuit. Ahahaha!"

It was Red who was the first to voice his confusion to a certain blond, smoking pilot.

"Could you please explain what you find most amusing?" The large fire beast asked calmly, as he looked from the sight of the amalgamation of grey stone stairs which filled the entire room at every possible and '_**impossible'**_ angle. The sight was pure insanity at its very best. Avalanche had encountered a labyrinth and no-one seemed willing to make the first step forward.

Cid snorted loudly, and shook his head. "The stupid shit that we always have to face. That's what so amusing!" he chuckled.

"Sorry Cloud but I'm so not going down into that maze of shit!" The pilot declared, leaning against the platform which had transported Avalanche down to first lower level of the temple. "Sides, someone needs to stay at the entrance just in case some more of our Shinra buddies find their way in here."

"Fair enough," Cloud replied, with no level of irritation in his voice. In all honesty, the younger blond could not really blame the pilot for not wanting to go down to the labyrinth of pure insanity. If there was any other way, Cloud would have decided to evade the maze too. However there was no other way. And just like every other life struggle that Cloud had lived through, Cloud knew he was going to find a way to succeed. After all, he was trained to be the best. His talent and determination, was what made him become the infamous First Class SOLDIER he was today.

"Alright then, Cid will stay at the front entrance. Does anyone else want to guard with him?" Cloud asked, as he turned to the others.

Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thought of saying yes, but were too embarrassed to be the one to admit it aloud.

"Right, then that means Cid is staying here alone."

The pilot shrugged to himself. In all honesty he really didn't care.

"Well that still means six of us will be walking together," Cloud pondered aloud. "I think it would be best for us to split up into two groups of three." The blond paused, to withdraw three PHS' from his pocket. "Right…" he muttered to himself as he eyed his team-mates, mentally calculating their skills and strengths in his head. '

Cloud really couldn't think of any way to describe Vincent's teamwork skills other than as non-existent. Although Cloud knew that it was more due to the fact that the gunman had not yet revealed such group skills since they had not yet been necessary.

"Ok then, as it goes, Barret and Tifa, can come with me, while Vincent, Red and Yuffie will form the other party."

Telling by the looks on everyone's faces, it seemed that everyone was satisfied with the blond's decision.

Cloud looked down at the mobiles in his hands, before passing one over to Cid and then the other to Vincent. "If any of you guys catch sight of Sephiroth, like I said before in Nibelheim, do _not_ engage him in battle. We will need to fight him as a team. Contact me immediately if anything comes up."

Both Cid and Vincent nodded.

"Hey, what about if we see find what's her face. You know, Aeris?" Yuffie questioned curiously.

Cloud sighed and rubbed the back of his head. That was the main thought which was worrying him the most. Tseng had reported sightings of seeing Sephiroth but he said nothing about Aeris. However, there was still a high chance that Aeris could be somewhere in the temple with '_Him_'. Cloud frowned in momentary thought. "If Aeris is sighted, then you must contact me immediately."

"Gotcha leader," Yuffie responded rather impishly, as she sent Cloud a mock SOLDIER salute. "You can count on us."

The Ex-SOLDIER mentally frowned to himself as his eyes flickered between Vincent and Yuffie. He only prayed he was making the right decision in splitting up the group. He still felt particularly iffy about leaving Cid by himself. However Cloud knew that it did seem wise for someone to remain at the entrance of the labyrinth, just in case Shinra decided to intervene.

"Alright then. Barret? Tifa? You guys ready to leave?"

The pair nodded and made their way towards their leader. "Alright then everyone. In two hours time, we will rendezvous back here with Cid. Use your PHS' if you find anything before then."

"And everyone, try not to get too lost."

The blond cracked a weak smile.

"Alright then, everyone. Let's _mosey_."

**Heh, this chapter was longer than my other ones. Well I think you guys deserve it since I have been so god damn lazy. Lol I need to apologise for that. Gomen nesai. I hope this chapter appeases everyone. Everyone is back on the move again and God knows what chaos Cloud and co will find in the Temple Of The Ancients. Heh, and as for Aeris, poor girl. She loses her chocobo, but gains a pair of green boots instead. Haha!**

**Anywho guyz, don't forget to review. Need to know if people are still reading or not. **

**Lol**

**Ja ne**

**Aer-seph4eva**

**Anywho, any questions or comments, feel free to contact me through my email or Myspace x x x**

**P.S**

**Who's already been so naughty as to have watched the emotional ending of Crisis Core. Aww I so love Zack. He's such a wonderful character and his death scene is beautiful. If anything, his death scene reminds me how weak Cloud is in comparison. **

**And as for Genesis…I only have one question to ask in connection with him. Why the hell is he so obsessed with the play Loveless? Haha. Does anyone know what FF7's 'Loveless' is about? Cos if you do, I would love to know…**


	20. The lost city

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**3182 words**

**The Lost City**

**Chapter 20**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

**Hey guys! I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to post this chapter! It's nice to know that there are people still reading this fic. I can't believe how long TLAA has been going on even. The sad thing is though, is that I have no where near finished this story. Let's just say that it has been far too many years. Lol. If anything, the remake of FF7 will come out before I get this fic done. Haha x. lol Now that would be really something x**

**Anywho…**

**As for my musical muse…**

**Well, I've gone back to my FF7 track lists. Currently, I'm listening to Utada Hikaru's 'Final Distance'. I don't know why, but when I listen to the lyrics of this song, I keep on thinking about the relationship between Zack and Aeris. I guess that's because I've been watching too many clips from FF7 Crisis Core, so now I' have got Zack's death constantly on my mind. Aww, he is such an amazing character. I remember the first time I completed FF7 many many years ago. I always thought they should have explained more about Zack's past and role in Cloud's life. And now Crisis-Core is an answer my prayers. Yay! Lol. I so can't wait for that game to be released in the UK, because I want it, so very desperately x x hehe. Oh I also want the Crisis Core soundtrack too since some of the music is absolutely amazing, lol. I wonder if Gackt- oops I mean Genesis has a theme of his own?**

**Ehehe**

**Anywho… Enough of my ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

0o0o0o0o0

If there was one thing that Cloud was sure of, it was this. Whoever designed the rooms of this temple was a pure genius of the worst kind. It had taken Cloud and his party over four hours to successfully find the correct route out of the crazy labyrinth of stairs. However the second trial came in the next room when Cloud had to dive out of the way of a gigantic boulder which nearly crushed his bones to dust. It was only by sheer luck that no-one got hurt and for that, the blond was immensely grateful. As ordered, Vincent's party had contacted Cloud each time they made an 'unusual' find. Cloud was surprised to hear the Ex Turk mentioning about a strange entity who was following their group. However what was most interesting was how this mysterious stranger did not seem to be a threat or a danger. When Cloud asked Vincent whether this 'entity' was human or monster, the Ex-Turk could made no comment. The blond decided it was best to ignore this 'mysterious character' for now, or at least until 'it' tried to make its presence known to him.

Cloud's team were currently resting from their most recent boulder trial. At this current moment, Tifa was chugging down her drink with a relish which seemed a little unnatural since it was only lukewarm water. Barret was mopping his head with a damp cloth, in an attempt to cool himself down. Cloud himself was feeling sweaty and dirty, but he ignored the dirty state of himself; for at the end of the day, the blond had more pressing matters to think about. Cleanliness was one of the last things on his mind.

A familiar ring resounded from the pocket of the blond's trousers. Cloud took no time to draw out his phone to answer the call.

"Hello?"

Vincent's dry voice crackled out of the earpiece.

"We've caught the pursuer."

Cloud's eyebrows jumped in mild surprise.

"Oh?" The blond waited for the gunman to continue on.

But Vincent did not say nothing else.

Cloud tensed his fingers around the PHS. "Have you interrogated him? Does he know anything about Sephiroth?"

There was a deep sigh from the other side of the phone. "…..I thought it would be best to bring him to you Cloud."

"Fair enough," the blond sighed, placing a hand on his hip. "So where are you now Vincent?"

"We have just exited the labyrinth, and we are heading your way…"

"Kay." Cloud confirmed aloud. "I'll see you guys in a bit then….But ah Vincent."

"…..yes?"

"Watch out for the boulders in the next room. They are a pain to get past."

"……Right."

Vincent switched his PHS phone off and Cloud mentally sighed once more about the rude abruptness of the other male. Not that it really bothered Cloud, because if he was truly honest with himself, the blond knew he shared the same distant attitude as the Ex-Turk. Shaking his head, Cloud moved the mobile from his ear and slipped it back inside his pocket. Turning back around to face his team-mates, the blond knew that he did not need to say anything to Barret or Tifa, for they had both overheard the conversation he had with Vincent.

Twenty minutes later, Vincent, Yuffie and Red turned up looking a little worse for wear after passing through the boulder trial. However the first thing that Cloud noticed was the strange object in the gunman's hands. The blond blinked. Surely… it couldn't be…

Vincent was holding a _**stuffed black and white cat toy, which had a teeny gold crown on top of its little head **_**.**

…It was the most oddest thing that Cloud had ever seen. And Cloud had seen many strange things in his lifetime. Such as Red XII for example, but that was an irrelevant thought for the moment.

Cloud looked from the toy then back to Vincent, waiting for an explanation. But the gunman offered none. Instead, he raised the toy with both arms so that the cat creature's head was now eye level with the blond's.

And then the toy yawned, and Cloud nearly leapt backwards in surprise.

"Whoa!" he gasped, as he studied the now moving toy which was proudly sticking its tongue out at the baffled blond.

"What is it? Can it talk?" Cloud asked in bewilderment as his eyes flittered between the cat creature and the Ex-Turk.

"Of course I can ye matey. Now can someone please put me down. I've never been typically fond of heights."

Every member of Avalanche jolted in shock after hearing the abnormally high pitched voice which came out of the toy's mouth.

"Who are you? And what are you?" Cloud questioned in a breathless rush.

"How very rude," The toy remarked. "My name is Cait Sith,"

"Cait Sith?" Cloud blinked. "What are you doing here? Do you live here?"

"That's not your business to know," Cait purred a little too cheerfully. "Nor is it in my business to tell you…"

Cloud scratched his head. "So then, why have you been following my group?"

The little cat shrugged. "I was bored and lost, and this mate-" Cait paused to tap the Ex-Turk's gloved hand that was wrapped around his tiny body. "Seemed like the sorta guy who I could trust to lead me out of that crazy maze."

The blond looked at Vincent for a moment, before turning his attention back to the unusual talking creature.

"So you are only following my friends since you wanted to know your way out of the maze?"

The little toy cat nodded.

Cloud sighed to himself. He didn't think he needed to worry about the veracity of Cait Sith's statement. After all, all funnies aside, the blond knew he was only dealing with a talking toy cat. The creature was bizarre and Cloud was sure that Sephiroth was not the kind of person to use such a pathetic toy to trap them inside some nefarious plot. The infamous Ex-General of the Shinra was never known for such underhanded tactics. Afterall, his Masamune could cut right to the point.

'…Sephiroth…' The blond pondered silently before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the toy cat. "Hey…? Have you seen any sightings of either a man in black or a girl in pink?"

"Haven't the foggiest idea what you are talking about." The cat responded immediately.

'It was worth a try…' The blond thought sadly, unaware how Cait's eyes seemed to shift uneasily from side to side.

"Vincent, put the cat down," the blond commanded and the Ex-Turk immediately complied.

"Alright then 'Cait', since Vincent led you out of that maze, you should be fine to make your own way now. Lets continue on guys and-.."

"Wait!" The little cat yelped. "Aww can't I come with you? It's awfully dark and lonely in this place, and I don't like the thought of travelling around by myself anymore."

The blond frowned. A magical toy cat wanted to join an Anti-Shinra Terrorist group. That thought was very bizarre in itself. But Cloud could not think of a reason to not allow Cait Sith to join, so he nodded his head weakly in acceptance.

"Oh joyous days!" Cait Sith whooped happily, doing a mini, yet rather impressive jig in his cute red boots. "Oh thank you ever so much! And what is your name ye matey?"

The blond quirked an eyebrow. It seemed so baffling that a toy would want to know his name. "The name's Cloud. Cloud Strife.. And the names of my friends are….-"

0o0o0o0o0

"Oh finally!" Aeris breathed quietly, as she stared out at the icy white expanse before her. The confusing trails of the green forest had long since past her, and now the brunette felt more alive than ever. She was finally moving forwards. She was finally getting somewhere. Aeris was now travelling within a beautiful land of winter whiteness. The few trees which stood out against the dry and barren lands were void of all colour. Each branch seemed to look like cold white bones which revealed a translucent glimmer of light beneath the dark, bleak sky.

The brunette frowned mildly as she stared up at the growing darkness. Preferably, Aeris did not want to sleep out in the wilderness again if she could help it. Especially now, as Aeris was aware that the temperature was so much colder than it was in the forest. The brunette shivered and rubbed her arms.

"Mother, are you cold?"

Aeris turned her gaze to Kadaj, who had been watching her closely since she stopped to appreciate the new scenery around her.

Aeris smiled softly. "A little, but I will be fine," she said, while gesturing to the blanket that Kadaj had wrapped around her shoulders a few hours earlier.

The teen's brows furrowed. "Are you sure?" he continued earnestly. "I can offer my coat to you if you would like?"

The brunette shook her head. "But then how would you keep warm Kadaj, if I took your coat?"

Kadaj shrugged meekly, before sending his Mother a soft look of appreciation. "The cold doesn't bother me. Nothing can bother me, now that you are here beside me."

A faint warmth fluttered within the brunette's stomach, and Aeris attempted to laugh off the quivering feeling by continuing to walk further into the white wilderness. "Oh! The things you say Kadaj. In Midgar, I bet you would have had so many girls flocking to be your girlfriend."

Kadaj wrinkled his nose at the thought. "But I wouldn't want to care for any of them Mother."

"Oh, and why is that Kadaj?" Aeris asked simply.

"Because they are not you," Kadaj murmured gently. "I can only think of wanting to spend every moment with you Mother."

The brunette could not think of anything to say in response of the teen's heartfelt words. She felt her face warm and redden in embarrassment. Turning her gaze from the teen beside her, Aeris tried to calm her rapidly beating heart and cool the warmth of her cheeks by focusing on the artic wilderness around her.

When Aeris was sure she had internally composed herself, she began to speak once more.

"So erm…Kadaj, lets talk about something else. What things do you like? What are your hobbies?"

"I like you Mother, and my favourite activity is being your sentinel."

The blush was back on the brunette's face. "Erm…I see."

"So what is your favourite colour?" Aeris asked feebly.

"I like all colours that you like Mother," Kadaj replied immediately.

'Ugh…' The brunette shook her head. "My favourite colour is pink Kadaj. Are you trying to say a warrior like you loves the colour pink?"

Kadaj sent the brunette a sidewards glance. "I like seeing you in pink. You make the colour more beautiful than it deserves to be."

Again, Aeris felt a little disturbed at the intensity of Kadaj's obsession with her. But the brunette reminded herself that Kadaj had never tried to harm her.

"Well erm thank you," Aeris said after a moment. "I think those dark clothes suit you too. They compliment the paleness of your hair."

Kadaj grinned warmly at the comment. "Your words humble me Mother. But you know I pale in every comparison to you."

Aeris thought their conversation was getting a little dull and predictable so she left it wilt back into a calm silence.

A silence which, in five minutes time, was interrupted by the shrill ring of Kadaj's mobile.

The pair stopped and Aeris watched Kadaj draw the phone from his pocket, before drawing it to his ear.

"_Hey there- how are-HEY!"_

The teen frowned before chuckling down the receiver. _"Someone's craggy. Where are you at the moment? Ah! Outside the Crater?"_

"_Whoa. Didn't know you were invited to come outside too. Or did you sneak out like you always do?"_

"_I take your silence as a yes then."_

"_Hmm, how long? Ah, I guess I'll be another few days or so,"_

"_Anything else you wanted to know?"_

"_Of course she is with me! Remember I am not Loz…"_

"_Fine, you don't believe me, why don't you talk to her yourself?"_

Kadaj removed the phone from his ear.

"Mother, catch." The teen said as he eagerly threw the PHS into the brunette's hand. Aeris blinked dumbly at the small piece of technology before slowly raising it to her ear. Aeris paused a moment, hearing a faint crackle on the other side of the phone. Her eyes turned towards Kadaj in mild confusion.

'Who?' Aeris mouthed.

Kadaj simply shook his head.

"Speak to him."

"Erm, hello?" Aeris spoke hesitantly inside the mouthpiece.

The brunette received no answer.

And so Aeris tried again. "Ah, Hi! Who is this?"

However the PHS line went dead to her ear.

Blinking in complete bafflement, Aeris turned her gaze back to Kadaj and then back at the mobile.

"Erm, the line went dead?" the brunette remarked, as she gave the phone back to Kadaj. The pale haired teen frowned at the device, and redialled Yazoo's number, however his call was not accepted.

"Hmm. Bizarre," Kadaj commented, before shrugging indifferently and pocketing his PHS device. "Guess Yazoo's PHS must have ran out of batteries or something. Ah well, his loss."

"Right then," Kadaj proclaimed cheerily. "I think it would be a good idea to find a place to rest. Hopefully we can find somewhere suitable. I have no preference, but what would prefer Mother?"

Aeris shook her head. "Lets continue down this path and see what we can find."

"As you wish Mother."

And the pair continued on past the sunset.

0o0o0o0o0

_**Far up the Icy Wastes of the North...**_

0o0o0o0o0

His curious eyes were fixed upon the item in his hands. The PHS. It was just a few moments ago that he heard _**'her'**_ voice crackling through the receiver. _**Her**_! The entity that held so much significance to everyone and to him. And yet, when Yazoo heard her voice for the very first time, he really felt no impulse to listen, and so he cancelled the call without a moments thought.

'_But why?'_

'_Why did I do that?'_

A dark corner of Yazoo's mind chuckled very softly…

'…_..Actually…now that I think about it……__**why not**__?'_

"_Heh."_

Sometimes, Yazoo really did not understand the workings of his twisted inner mind.

0o0o0o0o0

"Oh my.."

Aeris was speechless. Words could not give it justice. It was just…. Unspeakably and mind-bogglingly beautiful. But much more than that…it seemed familiar, in a strange and uncanny sort of way. What Aeris was describing was a strange village full of white, shell-shaped buildings surrounded by a tranquil lake. It was a peculiarly familiar sight. And the brunette swore she had seen the place before, however Aeris was well aware that before meeting Sephiroth, she had never once left the slummy streets of Midgar.

"This place….it feels like a dream….?"

Aeris murmured, as she moved past Kadaj and wandered down the gravel path towards the clear and pristine lake. The water looked delish so Aeris happily bent down to bring her palm to the water. But as her palm touched the surface, the brunette's eyes widened in shock as a sudden strange sense of an alien consciousness flooded through her system. Suddenly the brunette began to feel oh so drowsy and very tired. With that realisation, the brunette immediately withdrew her hand and wiped her wet hand against her dress.

"Strange…" She murmured, as she looked at the inky waters. Its enrapturing hue was so captivating that Aeris felt almost tempted to touch the water again.

But then Kadaj stopped her inner musings with a mild tap on the shoulder.

The teen grinned at the brunette's heavy-eyed gaze. "Come with me Mother. I think I've found the perfect place for us both to rest."

"Alright," Aeris answered sleepily as she slowly followed Kadaj. However each step she took seemed to be taking an unnatural level of energy out of her. And it was only perhaps after her fifth step that Aeris felt her knees give way, and she felt herself falling downwards. She thought she heard Kadaj cry out for her, before her mind was pulled away from reality and swept away inside the hidden world of her unconscious.

**Author's notes.**

**Hey Cat Shit, oops I mean Cait Sith has finally made his presence. Oh joyous days indeed…..**

**Ahem…**

**Anywho…**

**Haha. Im looking forward to writing more about Yazoo. He is a character who has few expressions but you know that there is more going on in that pretty little head of his. Hmmm. I have a few plans in regards of developing his character…hehe. I'm going to leave my AN here and start writing up the next chapter lol x**

**Don't forget to review so I know if you guys are still reading or if you have given up on me haha x**

**Wouldn't blame you if you did. I so deserve a tacky lazy cup award of the year for being the slowest ff7 writer or something. LOL **

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**

**Any questions or comments. Feel free to notify me by email xxx**


	21. Anomaly of Destiny

**To Love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj Story**

**6441 words**

**Chapter 21 Anomaly of Destiny**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (Most specifically the silvered haired kind.) lol**

**Author's Notes**

_Eheh….I really have no excuse to justify why I have taken sooo long to update this fic. Lol…well I could humour you with a pointless lie, but since I haven't been able to lie for a toffee, I will be honest. I simply took a long rest from writing and well.. so much time passed… more time than I actually realised. So I apologise to my avid readers who were expecting an update much, much sooner than this. I know. I am truly dreadful. I should have at least written an AN to explain my absence. But ah well…que cera cera x The past has gone. Im here now and writing again, and that is all that matters…. Any who, I might as well finish this ramble and continue writing this fic x _

_Musical muse for this chapter is the soundtrack from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Era's Impera and finally the soundtrack from the 'The Fountain'. Clint Mansell's works are all sooo beautiful. I highly recommend that film to anyone who has an emotional heart….or an avid fondness for Hugh Jackman. Lol _

_Now! On with the fic!_

**xxx**

Dancing green tendrils of colour were the first thing Aeris saw when she opened her eyes. Whirling herself around, the brunette eyed her new surroundings in a clearly bewildered state. Luminous spirals of gentle emerald-green flickered inside a world masked in pure white fog. Aeris looked down towards the ground seeing nothing but endless white depths. She then pivoted around, looking for anything she could remotely recognise in the pale mist. But to her immense confusion, Aeris could not see anything that stood out beyond the powdery white fog. The brunette rubbed her bare arms. The stale white atmosphere, despite its ethereal appearance was a rather gloomy place. And as the minutes passed, Aeris began to feel lonely. Knowing that standing in the middle of the white void would not change her lonely predicament, Aeris decided to walk forwards. And so Aeris began her hopeless search within the white fog for anything or anyone that could guide her out of this strange world of nothingness.

"Hello?"

"Is anyone out there?"

Aeris continued to wander around like a timid child lost in the snow. She forgot the time she started walking. All she could focus on was moving forward. And the more she moved forward, Aeris began to realise that her body was not even moving on her own accord. It was as if someone was guiding it, and she could not stop, even if she wanted to.

And then suddenly, Aeris felt a sudden strike to her forehead. The brunette stumbled back in surprise. She whipped her hands to her brow, expecting to feel a growing bump or bruise on her head. Looking around in mass confusion, Aeris tried to look around for an individual, or a foreign object, which would explain what had just happened to her. But Aeris could see nothing but the same gentle swirls of green floating around in the endless mists of white.

'So……….strange..?' Aeris murmured to herself, rubbing her forehead in confusion. Maybe she was losing her mind. Shaking her head, the brunette continued walking forward…but no sooner than she had taken four steps, the flowergirl gasped in shock as she was pushed back by an alien force.

"What? What was that?''

''What is this place?''

Aeris could only think of countless questions, and the more she looked around within the blank, white void, it made her realise she could find no answers to explain the strangeness of the world she felt eclipsed within…

''Planet? Can you hear me? Can you tell me where I am…?''

The brunette hitched a breath…

She did not realise this before…

The Planet's pulse…she could not hear its lullaby of life…

''Wh-where am I?''

''Hello?!''

''Please somebody answer me…I….I don't like this place at all….''

Fear clenched inside the brunettes heart, and her fearful thoughts were soon vocalised.

''Please somebody, anybody, Please answer me…''

''Kadaj?''

''Vincent?''

''Cloud?''

''Sephiroth….?''

''No-one….No-one is here…''

Aeris murmured in pure desolation as she slumped to the white ground. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She really did not like this place at all.

'_Stop it Aeris…there must be a way out of here…lets be logical about this…'_

The bleary eyed flowergirl looked down and her eyes widened at what she saw.

'_A flower? Where did this come from?' _She mused in wonder as she plucked the yellow blossom from the ground. She sniffed the scent fondly and was instantly reminded of an almost forgotten nostalgia.

_Home. _

"Seeing this makes me think of you Mum," the brunette said gently, as she gazed at the delicate lemon tinted petals. The elderly smile of Elmyra flooded her vision. Aeris sighed and her lips tilted into a whimsical smile. "Flowers were the only joy we had in our life when everything in our world felt so dark. It is sort of…ironic that I can see only one flower when I am trapped within a world of light…'

The smile fled from her face when Aeris raised her eyes to gaze from the flower in her hands to catch another puzzling item laying on its side. Walking towards it, the brunette frowned mildly as she eyed a dark oaken staff that was presented before her. The brunette was sure the staff was not there moments before. Putting the flower behind her ear, Aeris picked up the staff with both of her hands, surprised at how light the wood felt in her grip despite its turgid shape. Her eyes gazed up and down the wooden pole, before fixing her attention at the top of the staff where a strange concaved indent. It looked awfully like a materia slot. The thought of materia instantly brought her mother's heirloom to the flower girl's mental attention. Holding the staff at her side with one hand, Aeris used her other hand to remove the small white orb from her ribbon. She couldn't understand for what reason, but suddenly Aeris had the impulse to slot her mother's white materia into the strange staff.

And that is precisely what she did .

Without warning, Aeris was thrown onto her back with a shout. The oaken staff spiralled out of her hands, eclipsing every white particle around her into an eerie green hue. Clasping a hand to her mouth, Aeris watched as the strange glowing world around her seemed to disappear into something she considered much more recognisable to her vision.

She was back in _**Midgar**_.

Back _Home_…

In the _Slums_..

Her _Sanctuary_…

Everything was sooo familiar….

And yet something seemed so disconcertingly out of place.

The brunette frowned to herself as she walked past the pews and towards the flower bed budding with gentle white and yellow blossoms of joy. However, Aeris was immensely startled. There kneeling in the centre of her flowerbed was a feminine figure who seemed to be tending the flowers….

'…_.eh?! It's me?!'_

Aeris realised in surprise as she looked at her counterpart who was humming to herself, while potting another plant to the ground, totally oblivious to the world around her.

'………_.what a strange experience…what is the purpose of this anyways? Is this a dream? A memory?'_

'_Why am I seeing myself?'_

Aeris blinked as she looked at herself, She wondered why she was even experiencing this otherworldly experience. It certainly did not feel like a dream. Her thoughts were far too lucid.

And then there was a flash.

And the church was gone. Instead, a white monument stood in the centre of the room. Aeris stared transfixed as she saw the copy of herself kneeling down on the white altar. And then black object flew from the sky and Aeris stared transfixed at the shape which transformed into a figure she had envisioned in every nightmare, ever since that horrific night in Nibelheim…

And then Aeris felt herself falling backwards…..

And then the world became still..

And all movement stopped.

Aeris was unaware that she had closed her eyes.

She inhaled a breath and then carefully opened her eyes.

The pale mist began to slowly fade away, and in it's a place was a peculiar village which incorporated gigantic wax toned seashells within its architecture.

"Wh…what is this place?"

"A dream?"

"A memory?"

Aeris suddenly felt a presence behind her and she tensed in warning.

"_**This is a place of knowledge. A place to attempt to understand the purpose of the self."**_

Hearing the voice of a female, the brunette whirled around and stared at the pale robed female who appeared from within the dying fog. Despite the distance between them, Aeris seemed to almost recognise the woman. There was something strangely familiar about her. Then, as the female moved forward, Aeris felt her heart jump in her throat, and her hands began to tremble in anticipation. Dark hair. Green eyes. Open arms. Welcome smile..

"Mum?" Aeris murmured weakly.

The robed woman cracked a smile through her barely hidden tears. "Yes my darling. It's me, Ifalna. Your mother." The distance between the two women vastly declined and Aeris couldn't hold back a sob as she was suddenly wrapped within the comforting embrace of the woman before her. "You were summoned here my child, and now you have finally came."

Ifalna eventually drew herself back to gaze in genuine fondness at her beloved daughter. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. She had waited for this day for so long and now it had finally came. She could barely believe it. She wanted nothing more than to keep her child at her side and protect her from harm for the rest of time. She mentally sighed. If only she could….

The elder female's eyes softened with genuine warmth and kindness. "You have been very brave my child. I know the road you travelled has been so long and hard. I wish I could say that all your hardships are now finally at an end. But I'm sorry my darling, there are a few more things the planet needs for you to accomplish during this life, and then my daughter, you can be granted everything you rightfully desire."

Ifalna's fingers slightly tightened their grasp on the younger woman before her. She inhaled a breath. What she needed to explain was not going to be easy. "You see Aeris, everyone in life has a singular purpose. It does not matter whether humans wish to believe this truth or not, but we are not in control of our destiny. You see my child, everyone is attached to a cycle which ultimately binds us to the planet. In each life we live, every being on the planet is meant to walk a certain path which will make them progress forward to the next stage in their next life. You see my darling Aeris, each life you have had lived over the last few centuries were meant to get you ready for this one. And yet……even though the stage was set…your path was there for you to tread…..strangely…things did not come to pass as fate had intended them. Can you tell me why my daughter?….Why did you go against your intended destiny?"

Aeris blinked. She did not understand. "My destiny?"

Ifalna nodded. "Yes, your choices in recent circumstances have deviated you off course. But fear not my daughter, fate inevitably returns everyone back to their chosen path. After all, it was a path that you chose before you even stepped foot on this planet."

The daughter looked at the mother in apparent confusion, "Mother I do not know what you mean? How could I choose something before I even stepped foot on the planet?"

Ifalna laughed. The sound was like gentle chiming bells blowing in the wind. "My dear child, you have grown so much since I last saw you. I wish I could stay here to explain anything and everything that you wish to know from me. But I am afraid, that time is running out. The planet is in danger. And you Aeris, you are her final protector."

Aeris gasped. "Really?"

"Yes my darling. You were chosen by the Cetra aeons ago to save us during the second coming of the calamity. That was your Cetra burden and still remains your destiny in this life. As you are Cetra, your only sworn duty, is to preserve life. We as Cetra are meant to instil hope for those who have none, and allow mankind to develop the understanding that all life must be cherished. When the rest of mankind adopts this Ancient ideology, we will feel rest assured that the planet will continue its natural cycle of life until the end of time. However, there are those who are born to disrupt the flow of life on the planet. When this happens, the Cetra live for one purpose, and that is to answer the planet's call. Were you not aware of this my daughter? You were summoned here many times before now. Can you please tell me then, Why? Why did you not come sooner? Did you not hear the planet's cries?"

Fearing that her mother was disappointed with her, Aeris answered quickly. "I did. I did hear her. I came as fast as I could," Aeris explained. "But I just came across many problems. More than I would have preferred. You see, I had an companion-"

"The Spawn of Xenogenesis," Ifalna interrupted with a deep sigh. "Instilled with evil born from the Calamity herself. My child, were you not aware that you were travelling with the devil incarnate?"

"No! Sephiroth! He- he isn't the devil!" Aeris exclaimed, before stopping at the sight of the frosty expression which appeared on her mother's face.

"Whether devil or no…" Ifalna continued with a shake of her head. She drew herself away from her daughter and than began to pace. "That man…no, that creature is a living weapon. He was made by science, not born like you or I. Did you know, that when Sephiroth first died five years ago, the lifestream could not accept him into the pool of life. And to prevent him from contaminating the core of the planet with his tainted soul, that creature you humbly call your companion was rejected by the planet. Sephiroth is an aberration to life. His unnatural ability to kill makes him a sworn enemy to the planet."

"The planet is afraid of him?!" Aeris gasped as she placed a hand over her own heart. This was certainly news to her. She couldn't imagine the planet being afraid of anyone. But it served to strengthen her own anxieties she felt when she thought of the silver haired warrior. He was a threat. A danger.

….An enemy…of the planet…

…Devil incarnate…

Aeris had to fight the surge of tears that threatened to pool down her face. The man she had once laughed with and shared a night staring up at the sparkling starry sky… The planet saw this man as a monster. An abomination.

"Yes she is…" Ifalna continued softly. Her eyes became downcast. Clenching a hand to her left breast she continued on. "She tremors in fright. Over two thousand years ago, this entire planet almost had its existence wiped out due to the Calamity which fell from the Skies. And as you are now aware, Sephiroth is tied to the same blood which spawned the Calamity. The planet does not ever want to again experience the fear of annihilation through the destructive power of the black materia."

'_Black materia…'_

'_Meteor…'_

'_Neo Promised Land.'_

Aeris felt her insides begin to curl up with dread. She had heard Sephiroth refer to the Black materia in the Nibelheim reactor, and through his thorough explanation there, Aeris was aware of Sephiroth's intentions with the black materia.

"Human genocide…"

Hearing her daughter's words, Ifalna's eyes grew wide. Her hands were now visibly shaking. "My child, y-you have been made aware of the monster's plan? Yes….The Calamity created the black materia using the blood of the planet as well as her own. The power of this accursed orb is so great that it could destroy all life on this planet with just one summoning of meteor."

"And Sephiroth intends to use the Black materia to kill everyone?" Aeris said slowly, biting her lip with trepidation.

"Yes..." Ifalna sighed. She was beginning to feel very tired. The knowledge of the Ancients was taking a toll upon her. "But my daughter…..there is so much more to worry about…so many more things to fear. You see Aeris.. the last few months that transpired between you and that monster. None of those months were meant to take place. Fate did not intend you to traverse the path you have now taken. Well…not in the way that you took it, at least. That devil Sephiroth was not meant to play any part in your life…."

Ifalna had to pause to compose herself. No mother wanted to tell this to their own beloved child. "…no he was not meant to assist you in life….but instead assist you with your death."

Aeris did not respond. She was sure she did not hear correctly. So she vocalised her thoughts. "What?"

Ifalna shook her head sadly. "But my darling, history has indeed changed. It has deviated off course. For you. For me. For the rest of the planet. You see, every soul which experiences life has a fate which is set in stone. Being a Cetra, your destiny was meant to end here when you reached this plinth and prayed to cast holy. But…for reasons that were not of your fault…you got here at the wrong time. You chose the wrong path. The wrong destination. The wrong direction. Everything you were meant to do went so very wrong."

Aeris was beginning to get rather upset. How was she to know what she was meant to do, where she was meant to go, and how she was going to do it if no-one told her the process? And so the brunette vocalised her angers and anxieties aloud. "Mother, answer me these questions! How would I know what is the wrong and right destiny for me without having proper guidance? I just did what my heart told me to do. I went with the flow, and it always seemed that being with Sephiroth was the only choice I had to stay safe and be free from Shinra. " The brunette's thoughts darkened. "Are you trying to say that I should have stayed inside Shinra building all along and remained as their prisoner, instead of allowing Sephiroth to save me?"

Ifalna sighed. "That is precisely what I am saying."

Aeris face vaulted.

And so Ifalna continued.

"You see Aeris…Your true destiny…was changed by the man unable to return to the planet. His mental will…eclipses even the will of the planet. By taking you out of Midgar, he changed the destiny and future of not only you, but the very core of the planet itself. Although you were not aware of this, Aeris you were meant to stay in Shinra's headquarters until your real friend Cloud Strife came to save you. And it was only with him and his friends, that you were meant to travel towards your correct destiny. But because of the Child of the Calamity…everything has changed. Because of Sephiroth…the words of our elders…everything is now in ruins. The prophecies of yore mean nothing now. Now, the planet can no longer predict its own future, or be reassured it even has a future. Now the planet can only assume the worst. For extreme dynamic change such as this to occur, this assures the planet that soon all life shall come to an end very soon. That is why the planet desperately intends to return things as they were intended long ago. Soon the planet will destroy the Child of the Calamity and reassure that the cycle of life continues on."

Aeris gaped at her mother. "The planet is going to destroy Sephiroth?"

The older Cetra nodded. "It is the only way. And you my child, being the last Cetra, you will help her. You will not allow a Child of the Calamity's darkness to corrupt our world like his accursed mother tried to do, over two thousand years ago."

Aeris slumped to the ground as she began to slowly digest all the information that was being given to her.

Ifalna knelt beside her daughter and delivered her a forlorn grin. "Everything seems hopeless, doesn't it? But please do not worry, my daughter. I was brought here by the planet to direct you back on the correct path. Not everything is without hope." Ifalna raised a hand to brush a curled bang from behind her daughter's ear, before reaching towards the materia piece that was clipped in the flower girl's hair and palming the orb between her fingers. "This materia I once gave you. Aeris, put it in your hands," Ifalna commanded gently. Aeris complied silently.

"Can you feel the energy- the purity of life that breathes deep within? Aeris, this may surprise you, but your true destiny was this. You were meant to come here to use this materia to fight off Sephiroth's evil, and in doing so, willingly sacrifice your soul to the planet."

"WHAT?!" Aeris screeched. "Sacrificed?" It was good that she was already kneeling on the floor, because if she was standing, she would have fallen over in surprise with that statement.

"It is true," Ifalna admitted softly. "That was your intended destiny. You were meant to summon holy and sacrifice your own life to release the Cetra's dream. Life will always prevail over death. However, for reasons unexplained the planet is aware that your fondness for the Child of the Calamity has deviated you off this natural course of destiny."

Aeris was beginning to feel emotionally sick. She had no idea what she wanted to believe anymore. Knowing she was destined to die at Sephiroth's hand was not a rather comforting thought. In all honesty she thought she was going to die when in the reactor. But if what her mother said was true, she was not even meant to have properly met Sephiroth until her time of death. So everything the planet intended for her had not came to pass. Was that truly her fault..?

'…_No….it is not my fault…'_

'_Sephiroth….he disturbed the balance…and that is why the planet fears him…'_

Aeris looked up into the warm yet sorrowful eyes of her mother. "Do you understand now Aeris. Does everything make sense?"

The flowergirl chewed her lip. "I think so, but…can you just explain things again so I know for certain."

"Alright." The elder Cetra nodded.

And so Ifalna retold the planet's sad tale.

"…Aeris now you understand…..that your path to this city was meant to be the final destination in your journey of life. You were meant to summon the white materia, cast holy, and Sephiroth was meant to slay you here so you can return back to the planet and finish Holy's prayer. But it seems that Children born from the Calamity are not bound to the laws of fate unlike the rest of mankind. And in knowing him Aeris, Sephiroth has disconnected you from your intended cycle of fate. So you see my child, this is how much of a threat Sephiroth is to this planet. He can change destiny to what he wishes. Not just for himself but for those around him. That is the evil he harbours deep within. He is an enemy to the Planet. A monster inside the shell of a man. Aeris you have two choices now. You can either restore the fate that was intended for you. But to do this, this would mean finding Sephiroth and luring him here while you cast Holy to repeat the fate that was intended for you."

Aeris cupped a hand over her mouth. "You want me to bring Sephiroth here to kill me? No way!"

Ifalna shook her head. "That is simply one path, not the only one. Never ever think I would want you to willingly experience such suffering. If it were within my power, I would have protected you from the horrors and madness of this world.."

"Mother.." Aeris' voice wavered softly.

Ifalna brought an arm around her daughter. "The only other choice you have is to simply find another way to bring down Sephiroth before he uses the black materia and casts Meteor. But please remember, that the white materia is the only power the Cetra possesses to repel Meteor; and in order to use Holy, a willing sacrifice needs to be made."

Aeris cringed at the words 'willing sacrifice?' She could not envision anyone of a sound mind who would be happy to lay down their life willingly if there was another way to preserve life. To save life through an act of killing seemed almost barbaric. "Mother…do-do you really believe the planet has to kill Sephiroth? Isn't there another way we could try to save her?" Aeris pleaded. "What about if I find the black materia before Sephiroth does, then I can destroy it before he even gets his hands on it?"

Ifalna's eyes warmed in growing empathy. "My darling daughter. You still retain your innocence. Such a beautiful child you are. I wish it were only that simple…I am sorry my child but the planet is sure that the black materia is already within the monster's hands. The planet's death will be sealed if we do not stop the monster in time."

Aeris cringed. "Please… don't call him a monster."

"I'm sorry my child but your eyes are very deluded on that man. I am voicing the opinion of the planet, and the planet can only see that mon- that man for what he is, and what he now intends to do. If it will strengthen your loyalty to the planet, would you like to see the river of souls that flow with the men, women and children that Sephiroth has killed over recent years? There are thousands." Ifalna said sadly.

"Thousands?" Aeris echoed. Her eyes were wide open in awe and horror.

Ifalna waved her arm in the air and suddenly a cacophony of wailing moans filled the skies. It was almost deafening. Aeris dropped the holy materia in her lap and clasped her hands over her ears. Ifalna waved her arm again and then the voices fell silent, and Aeris sighed with relief. "You heard all those cries. Those were the unsung voices of those who fell to Sephiroth. Some were destined for such a fate. Others not. Can you see now my child? The planet believes no single man should possess the power to kill so easily. However Sephiroth disrupts the balance of nature. He is terror incarnate, embodied by the sciences of man. Sephiroth represents the imminent anxieties of rapid evolution, where the only knowledge man can deliver to its people is destructive to the planet rather than productive. The planet refuses to allow man to create any more monsters. The planet refuses to accept this any longer."

Ifalna's words struck a chord in the brunette's heart. The elder Cetra was aware of this and so she continued on. "Aeris, I know that due to the unexpected anomaly of your destiny, you have an unfortunate connection with the Son of the Calamity. And for this reason I know you will try your utmost to spare him the destiny that the planet now intends for him. Nevertheless, you must realise this Aeris. If the black materia casts judgement over this world, all life as we know it will come to an unnatural end. This direction of fate still remains to be the Calamity and Sephiroth's ultimate intention. However, if you Aeris, can cleanse the evil from this man's twisted soul, then you might be able to save him. If not...then the planet will have no choice but to permanently destroy the Crisis no matter how human he may appear to you or me."

"Oh Gods no." Aeris gasped as tears blurred her vision. "I don't…I couldn't let that happen to him. But I don't know how I could change anything. I guess the only thing I can do is talk to Sephiroth and tell him of his true origins of not being a Cetra, but despite what I say, he still may not listen to me…"

The flowergirl sighed sadly. Everything seemed hopeless. Deep down she knew she did not possess any power over Sephiroth. On the contrary, he possessed absolute power over her. He was physically stronger, inhumanly swifter and far more intellectually wiser. This man was everything she was not. In a fair battle. She had no chance of defeating him. He had been born and bred for battle . While he had mastered the art of war and killing hundreds at a young age, the only thing Aeris has mastered was which kind of flowers could compliment each other in a flower basket. No… This was absolutely ridiculous. The flowergirl vs. the former General of the Shinra army. However the planet still expected her to defeat him…And Aeris knew she had to be the one to stop him…..otherwise the planet would intervene, and then Sephiroth was eternally damned to death.

And despite everything, knowing what Sephiroth tried to do to her…What he intended to do to the rest of the world… Aeris did not want him to die…

Ifalna tried to console her daughter as if she knew what rising doubts were emerging in the flowergirl's mind. "Now now child, there is still time left to change things for the better. You finally know what you need to do. With the knowledge you have now learnt, you can protect the planet and bring down the monster. Bring down Sephiroth."

"But, he is so much stronger than me," Aeris admitted weakly. '…_And I care for him…even now…I still care for him.'_

Ifalna frowned. "That may be so, but strength of body is not always the same as having a strong heart to fight. Everyone has a weakness. Even a _**monster**_ like him."

Aeris hated the way his mother kept on calling Sephiroth that. "Please Mother, don't call him that again. He is not a _**monster**_! He is a man!"

Ifalna became silent for a moment, and then she smiled gently with realisation.

"Aeris, if you think of Sephiroth as a man and not a monster, then you will more likely succeed in bringing about the planet's desire. After-all, all men are born with different kinds of weaknesses. If you expose them, then Aeris, you will have the power to bring this man down to his knees. And when this opportunity arises, you can purify the evil in the man's heart; and then eventually, the enemy of the planet will fall."

Aeris' eyes widened. She truly preferred this plan, as opposed to killing the man she had and still secretly was so fond of, or sacrificing herself to save the rest of the world. This plan spoke of redemption, not condemnation. If there was any hope of saving life instead of slaughtering them, Aeris was more than eager to comply. However as likable as her Mother's plan was, the brunette still had little idea how she could even accomplish this plan without anyone dying. Nevertheless Aeris knew that if she didn't manage to complete her mission, dire consequences were imminent.

"However Aeris…please remember that if you do not accomplish the wishes of the planet, if you fail…then the planet will have no choice but to destroy the threat of Sephiroth, and scatter his tainted soul into the cosmos."

'That is why I wont fail. I cannot fail. I know I can save him.' Aeris mentally repeated to herself. She felt more than reassured now. She knew she could do this. She was a Cetra. She could preserve life. She was going to succeed. She was going to find Sephiroth and talk to him. She was going to persuade him to stop his foolish game of mass genocide and even if she couldn't, she was not going to let him use the black materia. Even if she had to hide it at the bottom of a ocean somewhere where he would be unable to find it. Of course Aeris was very aware that Sephiroth would be very unhappy with her if she thwarted his plans, but she would cross that bridge when she got to it. She was not going to let him harm the planet, nor was she going to let the planet harm him. Aeris realised that her duty was to keep both the planet and Sephiroth safe.

And now she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

"I…I think I'm ready to face him Mother." Aeris admitted as she stood up. "I think I know what I need to do now. Sephiroth, he told me once that he wanted to create his own Neo Promised Land with his Mother and me. He hated Shinra because they harmed his Mother and himself, assuming himself as a Cetra. Maybe I can persuade Sephiroth to see the truth about himself, that he is not a Cetra, nor a God or a Monster but simply a brave man who refuses to allow any evil to hurt him or his family. If Sephiroth begins to see it this way, then he may realise that the only potential threat of evil in this world is the Shinra Corporation and not the entire planet. Then his plans of using the black materia may become unnecessary. This might be the first step in directing his soul away from the darkness and back into the light. At least I hope so. If not, I will have to try and persuade him another way. I really need to think about this a bit more. "

"The planet is on your side with whatever you try my darling," Ifalna remarked gently. Aeris delivered her mother a watery smile and Ifalna hugged her fondly. "I know you will do your best. I know you will be brave and strong when the time comes. I will always be with you, always watching."

"I wish your father could have been here to talk to you too, he would have been so proud of you," Ifalna murmured gently through her tears. "But the planet has another purpose for him now, as he does for you and me. But please, do me proud my daughter. Protect this planet and deliver peace."

"I will," Aeris promised, as she held the white materia in her hands.

"Time is running short. But I have faith in you," Ifalna spoke as she clasped her hands around her daughters. "I love you."

"I love you too," Aeris replied back. Her vision was getting so hazy. The image of her Mother's warm vision was the last thing she saw as she felt herself falling backwards, water rushing into her lungs. It was becoming so difficult to breathe….

And then she woke up.

Aeris blinked, as she tried to adjust her vision. She turned her head to her left side and yelped sharply when she saw Kadaj's face less than five inches away, staring at her intently.

"Mother? Are you okay?" The silver haired teen asked in obvious worry.

Kadaj?' Aeris blinked softly. All sleep fled her mind. She tried to bring her body up into a seated position, and that was when she realised Kadaj was holding her left hand in his own. Too weary and confused to seek any perverse intent behind his actions, Aeris dismissed her thoughts about the usual teen's oddities from her head. Drawing her hand away from the teen, the brunette brought herself up in a seated position. And this was the first time that she properly observed her surroundings around her. It seemed that Kadaj had located her to one of the shell like huts she had seen within her _dream_.

'…_it wasn't just a dream though…was it…?'_

"Mother are you alright?"

Aeris shook her head. Her head still felt a little fuzzy.

"I'm not sure. I think so. What happened Kadaj?"

"I don't know," the silver haired teen admitted as his features took on a genuine frown of bafflement. "You fainted and nearly fell into the pond. I managed to catch you in time but no matter what I tried, you didn't wake up. I decided to bring you to one of the nearby huts to rest and was hoping for you to wake up naturally.."

"Oh.." Aeris replied hollowly.

"How long was I sleeping?" Aeris asked. It felt like hours.

"Maybe less than an hour. Maybe a little more. It wasn't that long. I'm just glad you are okay. I assume you fainted from fatigue. I'm so sorry Mother, In the future, I promise to cater more towards your needs now than mine. You are sooo important Mother. More so than I."

The brunette listened to the teen's words. The images of the conversation with her Mother were quickly returning to her. Aeris realised now that she was important. Before, she would have never believed it to be so. However it was almost amazing how talking to the dead could influence her opinion so much.

She had a mission to accomplish.

"Kadaj, how long will it be before I get to see Sephiroth?" Aeris asked.

"Hmmm," The teen had a thoughtful look on his face. "Well we are on the Northern Continent now. So I would say less than a week, but more than three whole days. We need to reach the Crater and that is where we will find out entrance to where the 'Sanctuary' is located.."

"Okay then." Suddenly Aeris was filled with energy. "Lets try and do this in three days. I'm ready when you are Kadaj."

The teen beamed happily. "Are you sure you are well enough to travel. I don't wish to over exert you. Even if we stay here for a few days-"

"NO!" Aeris exclaimed, watching the teen's brows rise into his hairline. "I mean, we have wasted plenty of time already. Lets just do this."

'…_I need to get to Sephiroth before he has a chance to use the black materia. The clock's ticking. I can't waste another minute!'_

"Come on Kadaj, race you!" Aeris laughed as she dashed out the hut.

"H-Hey!" The teen's eyes glinted with warmth and growing excitement as he rushed to stuff the blanket back inside his inventory bag, before dashing out the door. The race was on.

_xxx_

Whew, review you guys and tell me what you think x

Ciao

Aer_seph4eva x


	22. Black Materia

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**13615 Words **

**35 pages**

**Chapter 22**

**Black Materia**

**Disclaimer**

Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)

**Author****'****s Notes**

**Hey guys, Aer_seph here. I would have updated this chapter so much faster, however I took it upon myself to reedit the entire 58 chapters of TLAA and the 21 current chapters of TLAA2. Believe me, it was nooooooo easy task. I have to say as an 14 year old, my grammar was absolutely appalling. Hahah x Oh well. I managed to remove most of the awful typos and errors from TLAA so it is now much more easier, and therefore, much more enjoyable to read. Phew x**

**Anywho, back to TLAA2. I have looked back at the original plot structure for this story, and believe me I know I have a long, **_**long**_**, **_**long**_** way to go. Don****'****t worry I will get there. Preferably before I die. Lol **

**Anywho, musical muses for this chapter.**

**Strangely enough I****'****m going through my ff9 soundtrack and listening to all the melancholy themes that I have not listened to in years. So nostalgic. To be brutally honest, ff9 was not my favourite game of the series, but the ff9 music is so beautiful and archaic. **

**Oh, I have also been listening to another favourite soundtrack of mine. As girly as it seems, this 22 yr old girl still loves listening to Disney music, and some of my all time favourite songs are from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. I love ****'****God Help the Outcasts****'****, as it evokes many spiritual and motherly tones of faith which so fits the theme of this fic. Sides, I have always had a fondness for Esmeralda fashions. You can never go wrong if you wear a corset and a shirt combo in public, that****'****s all I can say! x**

**Lol x**

**Anywho, enough of my rambling rambles and on with the fic, since this chapter is going to be a whopper. X**

**Enjoy x**

0o0o0o0o0

"Come on guys, you have to admit that chasing that purple loony was a little fun?"

Soon after the words left the toy cat's lips, he wished he had said nothing, as six sets of eyes glared down at him with a burning fury that could have mirrored Ifrit's Hell Fire. Cait's ears flattened against his head. "Deary me, I guess not then…"

It seemed other than Cait Sith, no other member of Avalanche had enjoyed the trials and

mysteries that they had encountered from inside the Ancient ziggurat. Each room seemed more tiresome than the last. From killer boulders, to oversized clock faces, it seemed the temple was not a human friendly place to be. Cloud was almost ready to call it quits when he encountered a room full of multiple caverns, where a stout bearded creature kept from hopping from place to place, which seemed to defy all physical and human logic. However when the Midgarian terrorist team realised that the crazy looking man held a key around his neck, a key which looked awfully like the one that was necessary to get inside the next room in the temple, Cloud and his team had no choice other than to chase after the silly, robed creature. The problem was, when the bearded man realised that Avalanche was following him, he decided to turn their chase into a game, so that whenever Cloud seemed like he was going to catch up with the bearded being, the creature would go through a mysterious cavern in the wall, to materialise miraculously on the other side of the room! And unfortunately for Avalanche, the game was getting tedious. Minutes, were turning to hours. Barret was very tempted just to shoot their target dead and collect the key. Even Vincent was tempted to immobilise their target with some carefully aimed bullets. Fortunately, after two hours of chasing the idiotic purple robed being, Cloud managed to catch up with him, and was relieved when the crazy bearded creature offered him the key with no fight.

"Nyum Nyum," The robed figure grumbled to itself, as it happily waddled away from the Avalanche team, and disappeared inside a dark cavern, never to be seen, nor heard from again.

Cloud scratched his head in thought, as he gazed at the ancient artefact in his palm, and then at his team-mates in question.

"I guess this is the key we need to use, to open up that room over there," the blond Ex-SOLDIER pondered aloud, as he eyed a closed golden portal that was within his line of sight. The other members of Avalanche followed their leader towards the door, and watched in fascination as the blond placed the key inside the lock and turned it with a confident twist.

"Its' unlocked now," Cloud murmured softly, as he carefully pushed the door open. "Everyone, lets see what's inside,"he stated, as he strode through the portal. Suddenly, without warning, the blond was overcome with a dangerous urge to be violently sick. Cloud would have dropped to the ground if it was not for the fact that Tifa was beside him to grab his shoulder and steady him.

"Cloud!" The brunette cried out. "Are you alright?"

The blond grimaced, but nodded weakly. "I-I'm fine. I guess all this stale air is getting to me," he answered softly, as he brought a gloved hand to his pounding temple. He was experiencing another horrible migraine, and the blond knew this one was serious. Drawing himself away from the brunette at his side, Cloud began to properly observe his surroundings, while trying to ignore the pulsing pain in his head.

When the blond warrior noticed the strange murals on the wall.

Mako eyes widened with realisation.

And his heart caught in his throat instantly.

It was the _**room**_…

It was exactly the same room he had seen in his _dream_.

That dream….He had of Sephiroth…

….and Aeris…

Cloud gazed around in silent awe. All he could see were murals…of an Ancient forgotten world. Bronzed figures were drawn across the entire wall, and the far end of the room was a pedestal, which seemed to have a holographic vision of the temple hovering above the base. The blond felt the pulse of his heart quicken. Cloud knew something was going to happen. The hairs on his arms stood on end. His mako tainted eyes turned behind him to gaze at his team-mates in warning. Cloud could feel '_**His**_' presence in the air. He could not explain how or why. He just knew it was there. He could feel the presence of danger in the stale air. It was choking him. The relentless pounding in his head intensified.

The blond threw his head back, and to the horror of his companions, he cried out to the heavens. "Where are you Sephiroth?!"

But nothing happened.

Tifa relaxed her dukes. It was just a false alarm. But no sooner than she did so, a violent crack of sound drew her attention upwards. And with growing horror, each member of Avalanche whipped their heads upwards, to focus on a expanding light that was now hovering above them. This light resonated ominously, before slowly materialising into an all too familiar form.

Pale lips curled slowly into a cruel smile, and then slowly, a dark apostate angel dropped to the ground silently before the shocked Avalanche fighters.

Avalanche had finally encountered '_**Him' **_.

The _**Nightmare**_…

_**Sephiroth**_…

Cloud drew his sword, ready to attack the face of his nightmare. Vincent withdrew his gun, ready to attack the son of his beloved. Both warriors knew this was very likely a battle that would cost them their lives, but they both refused to give up without a fight.

"Hahaha," The dark warrior chuckled softly, as he eyed the warriors surrounding him.

The lust to kill was glimmering in the mad swordsman's eyes. The scent of death was wielded on his foul silver blade. Each member of Avalanche felt themselves freeze, as the cold hearted swordsman drew his sword slowly from his sheath, and took a few lazy practise swings in the air.

Yuffie dropped her large shuriken to the ground with a heavy clatter. Violent green eyes, the shade of pure undiluted mako flickered in her direction. Recognition dawned in his haunting gaze. The wutainese ninja was now trembling with raw terror. She remembered the last time she saw those cold inhuman eyes, and the last words the warrior had said to her before he violently struck her down.

"_You shall never see another sunrise."_

Instinct to survive won out over her honour to fight. Everyone watched as Yuffie fled the mural room in fright.

Another dark chuckle filled the now chilled air, and Avalanche turned their attention back to the dark cloaked swordsman, who was moving towards their leader with a clear intent to kill. Cloud gripped his broadsword even tighter as the swordsman of nightmares seemed to be drawn only to him. Intense mako blue clashed with cold, mako green.

And then the swordsman stopped moving. His attention remained only on the blond. The tension in the air could have been cut with a knife.

And then to the amazement of Avalanche, Sephiroth began to laugh again. "Where are you Sephiroth?" The dark swordsman chuckled to himself. His pauldrons were quaking with cruel mirth. "Oh Cloud, you have became so cold. You should know that I am always by your side. I am always under your skin. Or have you forgotten that?"

The blond's face had turned an unhealthy chalk white. Cloud knew he was trembling with fear. He could not stop the sensation even if he wanted to. He knew Sephiroth was far too powerful to beat. The dark swordsman was raw power absolute. Sephiroth was everything that was epic and extraordinary. The blond had no idea how he could defeat such a frighteningly powerful, and phenomenally foreboding opponent.

As if Sephiroth was reading the blond's mind, the warrior's eyes narrowed with growing ill mirth. Drawing a gloved hand out towards his blond enemy, the dark swordsman gestured the leader of Avalanche to move towards him.

"Come to me Cloud."

The blond could not move his legs.

Sephiroth shook his head in mounting amusement. All he could sense around him was weakness and it fed his strength. No-one could deny it. Sephiroth knew he was power absolute. No-one was above him. Everyone was beneath him. And he felt glorious. He was Omniscient. He was Omnipotent. The dark swordsman felt a sudden urge to laugh again and so he did. Sephiroth knew he had everything that anyone would potentially crave in life. He was the best at whatever he did, and everyone who was inferior to him would ultimately fall, whether by his hand, or their own. Sephiroth knew he had driven men to suicide with just a single look. The dark swordsman swept a long gloved hand through his platinum locks. He was practically preening in front of the enemy and he could not stop smiling. If Cloud thought he could stop him, then he was sorely mistaken. His battle trained eyes had caught onto the trembling blade in the blond's unsteady hands.

The swordsman's smile grew wider, and his confidence in his own abilities became exponentially stronger.

'_I am truly unmatched. And soon everything will come to pass as I intend it to be.__'_

Turning his attention away from the blond, Sephiroth gazed at the mural on the walls around him with calculating eyes. Everything he could see was a part of his Mother's plan. And what his Mother asked for, she would get. Afterall, she was the only one who genuinely cared for him.

But then ….the memory of a gentle _flowergirl_ invaded his mind for a split second.

….and then the memory of her, was replaced with blood…his _own_ blood as he fell into lifestream, and journeyed into the unwelcome bowels of the planet.

'……_.When I complete this mission for you Mother, you promised to give me the power to turn Aeris into one of us__……__and when that happens__…__ Aeris__…__.you will have no need to resent me__…__instead you will become a part of me__…__and your true Cetra heritage will be finally reawakened.__'_

That thought alone caused the swordsman to release a deep, yet truly contented sigh of genuine pleasure. '_Yes everything will go, according to my will__…'_He then drew his attention back to his enemies in the room. Tainted mako eyes gazed at each unimportant traitor that had brandished their feeble weapons against him. Their pitiful attempts almost amused him. _Almost_. The swordsman's lips twitched upwards even more. Sephiroth then drew his attention back to his puppet in the room.

"This place is a treasure house of knowledge," the swordsman spoke slowly to the still trembling blond.

'_Hahaha__…__so pathetic.__'_

"I-I don't know what you are saying," Cloud remarked after a moment, when he realised that the swordsman was not going to say anything else to him.

Sephiroth's response to the blond's words, was to dematerialise before his very eyes, before materialising to another place in the room, to the amazement of the individuals around him. The swordsman chuckled to himself, before eyeing a rather impressive orb that was painted on the wall beside him. It artistically revealed the intended plan he had learnt from his Mother, the first time he had travelled through the core of the planet five years ago.

"Look well Cloud," the swordsman drawled, while gesturing to the mural beside him with Masamune.

The blond looked at the large images on the wall. He could see a line of people in loin cloths looking up to the sky, paying homage to a huge ball which looked like some kind of sun. "At what?" Cloud asked in confusion. He had no idea what was so special about the mural. Sephiroth shook his head. He was not surprised by the lack of intelligence of his puppet. After all, he was only a traitorous human. "You should look at that which adds to the knowledge of.-" The swordsman paused then, as he stared at his gloved hands…..or more precisely a puppet's hands he was currently controlling to his will.

'…_yes__…__ controlling__…'_

'…_I __**control**__ the fate of this planet.__'_

"-I becoming _one_ with the planet."

Silence greeted his words. Not that it shocked the swordsman. He was surrounded by delinquents; traitorous fools who had no grasp nor the potential to wield the power that were soon to be his. Seeing the lack of clarity in his puppet's eyes, the dark swordsman decided to make himself rather comfortable. In a blink of an eye, Sephiroth somersaulted in the air, and landed quite gracefully into a sitting position, beside the only plinth in the room. Sephiroth was feeling rather magnanimous and therefore had the rare patience to converse with the traitorous human idiots before him. After all, the dark swordsman knew that when all his plans came to pass, all the foolish humans would return to the planet. Sephiroth knew that everything would go as he had planned. All he needed to do was wait patiently now and reap up all the benefits.

'_Mother__…__it is almost time. Soon we will become one.__'_The swordsman murmured to himself, as he eyed his dark reflection across the Masamune, more than aware of the traitors surrounding him, ready to attack. The silence in the air was broken by a single question by his puppet.

"Sephiroth! Where is Aeris?"

Green eyes flared at the thought of the innocent flowergirl. His gloved fingers clenched around Masamune and then Sephiroth glared heatedly at Cloud.

"And why would a puppet need to ask of such things?" The swordsman questioned calmly, whilst his insides burned with mounting rage.

"Just tell me where she is! I know you have her!"

Sephiroth snorted and drew himself to his feet. "And if I did have her? What would you do Cloud? You cannot protect those who are near you, let alone those who are not."

And with those words, Cloud watched in horror as a silver blur dashed past him, and a blood curdling cry sounded from behind. Sephiroth had hoisted Tifa up in the air with one arm, while his other held Masamune at her delicate throat. Gloved hands tightened around her neck, ready to snap it in two. The brunette fainted due to lack of oxygen.

"Tifa!" Cloud screamed as he charged towards the dark swordsman. He had to get the madman away from her. Sephiroth grinned smugly before tossing the brunette's unconscious body in front of the blond's blade. Realising what the swordsman was planning, the blond dropped his sword and caught Tifa in his arms.

"Why did you do that?!" Cloud cried out, as he held the body of his unconscious partner. "Why did you hurt Tifa? Why are you keeping Aeris away from us?"

The swordsman's answer were clean and simple, as he slashed the air again with Masamune. "Because I can."

Cloud trembled with mounting fury. Sephiroth had to be taken down. He had to be defeated now! Placing Tifa on the ground, he picked up his sword. And charged! The swordsman smirked and evaded the blond's attack effortlessly. The blond's actions kick-started Avalanche's onslaught. Barret and Vincent began shooting, while Red used his fire materia to bring down the evil swordsman. They kept their attacks long range to allow Cloud to fight. However to everyone's surprise, after just a few minutes fighting, Cloud was thrown through the air by a violent kick to his face, and Avalanche watched horrified as their leader smashed through a wall. Suddenly a piercing cry filled the air, as Masamune speared through blood and bone. Avalanche gasped as they watched Cloud being wrenched off the ground with Masamune.

"Cloud!" Barret, Red, Cait and Vincent simultaneously cried out in alarm, as they tried to help their wounded leader. But one powerful quake spell from Sephiroth pushed each Avalanche member on their backs. The dark swordsman than drew his attention back to the impaled warrior on his sword. Sephiroth grinned to himself. There was something oddly familiar and fulfilling about seeing Cloud in such a vulnerable position, but the swordsman dismissed the thought as soon as it came. The dark warrior knew he had seen many individuals impaled on his sword. It simply seemed that his puppet had been one of the lucky few who had managed to survive and repeat the same experience again.

"Now where was I, before you rudely interrupted me my puppet?" Sephiroth remarked with twisted humour, as he watched the blond attempt to wrench himself off his sword to no avail.

"Ah yes, I was intending to inform you of how I plan to become one with the planet."

Cloud gasped in agony. The pain was unbearable. A thin trickle of blood dribbled from his mouth and Sephiroth smirked at the sight. "Now listen Cloud, once the planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury. The amount of energy gathered there depends on the size of the injury." Sensing that the blond was going to lose consciousness, the swordsman extracted his blade from the blond's torso, before tossing him over to his injured comrades. Sephiroth laughed hysterically, and impaled Masamune to the ground beneath him.

"Now tell me Cloud, what would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the Planet? Can you imagine how much energy would be gathered there!?

Ha ha ha. And at the _centre_ of that injury, _will_ _be_ _**me**_."

The former Ex-SOLDIER groaned in pain and cradled the bloody wound at his side. Sephiroth was madness incarnate. Cloud could not reason with pure insanity. He could not fathom how anyone could injure the planet. Was it even possible? He did not think he had the strength to get up, let alone fight.

"By merging with all the energy of the planet. I will become a new life form, a new existence. When I meld with the planet… I will cease to exist as I am now. Only to be reborn as 'God', to rule over every soul."

Sephiroth drew Avalanche's attention back to the artistic structures of the room. "Behold that mural. The _**Ultimate Destructive Magic**_…_**Meteor**_," The swordsman levitated himself in the air, allowing everyone in the room to stare up at him like the supreme God he intended to become.

Cold mako eyes narrowed down on the wounded blond on the ground. The swordsman smirked to himself. Now seemed the right time to rouse his puppet from his secret slumber.

"_**Wake up**_!!!!!!!" And with those two final words, Sephiroth flew up and melted into the ceiling above.

0o0o0o0o0

The pain! Oh it was terrible, but it was all he could feel and think about. It was taking over him. Wordless sounds slipped from his lips. He had no idea what they were. He was not controlling them. He had no control over his senses. Gloved hands clasped his face and wet tears streaked down his face. In the back of his mind, Cloud knew he was laughing horribly, even though on the inside all he could do was cry.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Memories, thoughts and dreams he had never pondered nor witnessed flashed through his mind. Blue mako eyes suddenly flashed an acrid acid green. Cloud could no longer feel the pain in his side. He only had one focus. He could only think of one thing. He had to get the Black Materia. He had to claim it. He had to give it to Sephiroth. That was his only purpose. His only need in life. The blond tossed his head from side to side.

'_I..I remember my way__…'_

But before he knew it, the vision was gone.

And the blond felt like himself again.

Cloud was surprised at the looks that were being sent his way by his loyal team mates.

'…_What, what just happened?__"'_

Cloud had little time to wonder, for before he knew it, an earth-shattering roar filled his ears. The walls and floors trembled with an unnatural fury. The blond, ignoring the pain in his side, drew his blade off the ground and pivoted around, with eyes ready for battle.

"…Sephiroth?"

And as if Sephiroth had heard his assumptions.

"_Ha ha ha, it__'__s not me.__"_

Cloud's eyes widened at hearing the all too familiar voice in his head. But that horror was eclipsed by the sight of a huge ruby dragon crashing through a wall and straight towards his party!

0o0o0o0o0

_Back to Aeris and Kadaj xx_

0o0o0o0o0

They were back on the move and in higher spirits than Kadaj could have ever imagined. Ever since the strange episode inside the Ancient village, for some bizarre reason, Kadaj noticed that his Mother had gained a new found vigour. Instead of simply walking, she jogged and ran with small outbursts of energy. She seemed to be laughing more. She was so full of life and purity. She smiled at him more often and seemed almost like a completely different person than the woman he was once travelling with before. Not that Kadaj minded. After all, this Aeris did not mind him holding her hand, and she easily giggled at anything he mentioned to her. The teen smiled to himself. Seeing his Mother happy made him happy.

The temperature in the air was getting much cooler the higher they traversed up the rocky terrain. Kadaj had offered the brunette a blanket from his inventory to wear around her slim form. The teen wanted to protect his Mother from everything. He wanted nothing to harm her. His mission was to get her to the Reunion safely, and he was _**not**_ going to fail.

"Are you sure you are not tired Mother? We have been walking for a long time now."

Aeris smiled at him. "Does that mean you are tired Kadaj? We can rest for you, if you want? You don't need to use me as the reason." The brunette giggled lightly at the teen's startled expression. "No-no, I'm fine Mother," Kadaj replied, while waving his hands out before him. "I don't need to rest if you don't. I'm only trying to look out for you."

Aeris smiled gently, and using an index finger, lightly patted Kadaj on the nose. The teen went cross-eyed for a moment, completely baffled by his mother's antics.

"Aww Kadaj you really are too kind. I'm fine. Suddenly I feel like I'm full of energy. I finally have a purpose now,"

The teen blinked. "And what purpose is that Mother?"

Aeris patted the teen's nose again. "That's a secret," The brunette's eyes sparkled green with amusement, as she watched Kadaj rub his nose in mock annoyance.

"Hey stop that," Kadaj replied, in a tone that suggested he secretly enjoyed the attention he was getting from his Mother.

"Why?" Aeris answered simply.

"Because I say-_Look_ _out_!" Kadaj cried out in alarm, as he pushed his Mother protectively behind him. Souba was out in an instant, as he faced an enemy that was savagely snarling at them both. Kadaj raised his twin blade, as the fangs on the monster came down to try and take a gouge out of his side. The teen pushed the creature back, before dashing forward and cleanly finishing off the monster with a vicious stab to its heart.

"Is it dead?" Aeris asked softly, as she moved from behind Kadaj to stare at the dragon carcass that was making quite a dirty mess on the stone ground.

The teen grinned. "Want me to stab it again just to check?"

The brunette shook her head. She never condoned unnecessary violence. "That is not necessary Kadaj."

And with that, the pair continued on their journey up north, towards the foreboding mountain in the distance.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Back to Avalanche x_

0o0o0o0o0o0

Cloud hacked at the beast with a fury that he rarely revealed on the battlefield. Eventually when the mighty beast roared its last roar, and crashed to the ground, Cloud let his broadsword drop to the ground, and he fell to his knees in horror.

"Cloud are you okay? Man that looks like a nasty wound," Barret said as he helped the blond to his feet.

"I-I'm fine." the blond stated weakly. "Is Tifa ok?"

"Yea she's fine Spike. Vincent and Red defended her during that last battle. Damn I didn't expect that scaly foo' to surprise us all like that!"

Cloud made no response and instead hobbled over to his unconscious comrade.

"Let me heal you Cloud," Red said kindly."Cure 2." The blond hissed as he felt the curative magicks enter his body and flow through his wounded system, healing his injuries.

"Thanks Red," the blond remarked softly, before drawing his attention to Tifa who was laying beside the taciturn gunman. "She will be fine after a few hours rest," Vincent reassured the blond. Cloud nodded, pausing a moment to sheathe his sword.. His eyes flickered towards the pedestal that he had not taken time to look at. His heart jumped as he eyed the letters printed on the stone.

'B.L.A.C.K. M.A.T.E.R.I.A'

Cloud blinked in confusion. All he could see was a pedestal. He could not see anything on the stand that looked anything like a piece of materia. Instead he could see a holographic image in the shape of a pyramid, and a set of instructions marked on the pedestal. But he could not understand them. They seemed to be in a language not of this world. The blond addressed the most intelligent member of Avalanche, and asked him whether or not he could understand the symbols.

"Red, can you understand this?"

The fire dog padded to the pedestal and eyed it for a moment before shaking his head with a negative. "I'm sorry Cloud. My father might have been able to. But I sadly cannot." The blond frowned. He was at loss for what to do. The symbols meant nothing to him. He did not understand any of it. 'What should I do…?' The blond pondered to himself. He had absolutely no idea.

"Hey Cloud? Could you help me up on the plinth, I would like to have a little look-see at it," Cait's little voice asked from the ground. The blond turned his gaze down at the toy cat, before scratching the back of his head. "Sure," he shrugged, as he picked the little creature off the ground and onto the pedestal. Cait Sith's little booted feet waddled across the stone plinth. He poked the pyramid hologram with his tiny kitten paws. The toy cat was amazed when the pyramid seemed to respond to his touch. "Hmmm. I guess this is the final test of some sort. Those who pass it will get the Black Materia. And those who fail it…well don't! It looks kinda like a puzzle of some sort. Sort of like a rubix cube. Rather interesting if I do say so myself."

The blond blinked. The little toy cat was more intelligent than he looked. And as Cloud looked at the hologram, he noticed something rather remarkable. "Hey doesn't hologram look like the entire temple?"

A dark chuckle echoed in his head. "_**T**__**he temple itself is the Black materia.**__**"**___The words slipped out the blond's mouth. He had no idea how or even why he said such words

"Cloud, what gave you that idea?" Red asked softly. It was not something he would have thought up himself, but he could not deny the fact that Cloud's theory could be correct.

"I…I don't know…" the blond admitted slowly. Something strange was happening inside of him and he didn't like it at all.

''_**Foolish Puppet.**__**''**_

The blond froze.

'_**Sephiroth?**__** '**__**Did I just hear Sephiroth in my head?**__**'**_

Whether it was true or not, Cloud had no idea what to do.

"So what do you mean Cloud, do you think that this temple could be the Black Materia?" Red questioned slowly.

"I-I don't know. It's just a thought." The blond answered, unsure whether he should admit to his friends about the strange happenings that were currently occurring in his head.

"This is dark arcane magick. It does not surprise me that the Ancients would need some form of sacrifice to prevent the Black Materia getting into the wrong hands." Red thought aloud.

The blond brought a hand to his chin in thought. "But Sephiroth has lots of different flunkies. He wouldn't care about killing them to get it." Cloud murmured. The revelation was disturbing. _'__Is that what Sephiroth intended of me all along? Did he want to use me as his puppet. To sacrifice my life, so he could obtain the Black Materia for himself?__'_

'…_**hahahahahahahhahaha. You are finally learning your place my puppet.**__**'**_

"!"

The blond's mako eyes widened. He could not deny the truth now.

"Sephiroth! Get out of my head! Aghh!" Cloud cried as he gripped his cranium.

The blond's eyes were burning in pain.

'_Get out get out get out get out!__'_

Eventually, the voices in his head fell silent and Cloud awoke to find himself panting on the ground, with Red beside him.

"What happened there Cloud?" Red asked worriedly. "I…I don't know." The blond admitted quietly. He hated the fact that everyone's attention was now on him.

'…_What is happening to me…?'_

'_Sephiroth's voice was in my head? Why? How?'_

The blond shuddered at all the fearful possibilities.

"Are you okay Spike? You don't look too good," Barret said in the kindest tone possible. In all honestly, he was getting spooked out by the blond's mental-spaz attacks, but he did not want to admit it aloud.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Cloud murmured, as he drew himself to his feet. "We should inform Cid what's going on and see if he is alright,." And with that, the Ex-SOLDIER whipped out his PHS and contacted the blond pilot.

"Hey Spike? You ok? I'm bored off my ass here?"

The blond smiled slightly, relieved to know the pilot was okay.

And then Cloud told the pilot everything….

"So Sephiroth, he told me that the Black Materia is this temple itself. And it seems whoever plays the game must be willing to sacrifice their life."

'_But who would be willing to die?__'_

Cid snorted, as if he had heard the swordsman's internal thoughts aloud. "On that note, I'd say it's time for a fag break," the pilot remarked over the phone, as he whipped out his half empty packet of lucky sevens. "I will head out to the front entrance. I will see you losers up here in a bit."

"Ok." Cloud remarked before clicking his PHS shut and slipping it back inside his trouser pockets.

"Hey Cloud…" The cat waddled towards the blond.

The blond turned his attention to the moving toy creature.

"Erm I know I'm just a stuffed toy cat and all," Cait began, "And I have never been that important really to anyone. And although I have not known you for long, I would be honoured to help you guys! Sides I'm really good at working out puzzles and stuff. It's my speciality."

The blond blinked. Cloud did not know what to say. "Run by what you said to me again. You want to help us?"

The toy cat nodded eagerly.

Cloud scratched his head, "Even though if you help us, you will die?"

Cait nodded again.

The blond sweat dropped. "Errr…" He wasn't sure whether to blame his periodic lapses of sanity for his next words. For Cloud knew, if he was in his right mind, he would have never agreed to such a stupid idea.

"Yeah sure, why not." Cloud shrugged, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from his companions.

"Oh thank you! Thank you for believing in me. I have always wanted to do something so amazing like saving the world!" Cait jumped up and down happily. "I'm going to be a hero! Me! Cait Sith!"

The Ex-SOLDIER did not know what to say. A toy cat wanted to sacrifice himself for his team's benefit. Technically a toy couldn't die so Cloud couldn't feel overly sympathetic towards the cat's chosen fate. It seemed Cloud attracted very stupid situations every day. At the back of the blond's mind, he knew that Cait's plan could have been a trap. He did not know the toy animal and the blond had never been an overly trusting person with people, let alone with weird animate objects.

But then Cloud realised that if Cait did not help them gain possession of the Black Materia, then he was totally out of ideas.

"Guys, lets leave Cait to it then," the blond stated softly much to the amazement of his teammates surrounding him. Even Vincent seemed mildly perplexed with the blond's decision. Bending down to pick up Tifa, the blond eyed the toy cat with a serious stare.

"Good luck?" Cloud stated, before pausing in thought. 'Am I wishing him luck to die. Or would it be bad luck if he survived?' Cloud shook his head. Sometimes he hated the inner workings of his own mind.

Cait seemed to know what the blond had wanted to say, and beamed happily. "Thanks Cloud! Heheh, To me, death will be an awfully big adventure."

Cloud could think of no words to respond to that. So with a gesture to his team-mates, and a nod at Cait Sith, the Avalanche heroes turned to leave Cait to his destiny.

0o0o0o0o0

"Hey Cloud do you think we are doing the right thing?" Red began slowly, as they made their way out the room and towards the exit of the temple.

"I cannot think of any other ideas," the blond Ex-SOLDIER admitted. "It is not like we persuaded Cait to do this. He is doing this off his own accord." The blond sighed. "Lets get out of here first and then decide what we can do later."

The blond's mako eyes walked down the stone corridor towards the exit. His eyes suddenly caught a very familiar dark haired teen sitting on the ground with her head between her knees.

"Yuffie?" The blond called out. The ninja jumped, and seemed incredibly reluctant to raise her head to gaze at the blond.

"Is---Is he gone?" The ninja squeaked.

Cloud shook his head. "I..I don't know," he admitted softly. He was about to reassure the ninja a little more, but Barret's thunderous voice filled the stone corridor.

"Hey Spikey! What the f%$k is that?!" Barret bellowed, as he drew his gunarm towards the entrance wall. Cloud stared gob smacked, as a twenty foot creature seemed to be rising from the wall and heading towards them at a rapid pace. Its large golden face turned to gaze at each Avalanche member in turn. Its evil green eyes smoked with the fury of the planet. He drew his arms out. His claws were ready to reek vengeance on whoever tried to leave the temple. The demon punched the wall and shattered the wall, causing stalactites to drop to the ground and on top of the Avalanche heroes.

Vincent, Yuffie and Red immediately threw themselves up into the air and slashed at the falling debris. Barret began firing at the demonic creature. Cloud put Tifa down as far from the demon wall as he was able, before drawing his sword and charging straight into battle.

"Bahamut!" Cloud screamed out, as he allowed the King of Dragons aid him in battle.

Between the shooting, slashing and biting, the demon was beginning to slow down the attacks. However Avalanche were tiring. They were barely getting any attacks in. For every attack that managed to hit the monster, the demon would rush at them and critically wound Cloud's team, and give them less space to fight. It seemed the demon wall intended to crush them to death. Then when Cloud felt he could not last any longer, Vincent managed to strike a lucky shot at the monster's eyes. Blood infused mako burst across the air and the wall demon howled in pain. This gave Cloud enough time to withdraw Bahamut for a final summoning. And with one final blast, the demon gate crumbled to the ground., never to rise again.

Cloud panted heavily. A trickle of blood slid down his face where a rock had dropped and hit him in the face.

"Guys! The entrance is clear! Lets go!" Cloud cried out, picking up the brunette in his arms once more. Cloud guided his team out of the temple. It was fortunate that Avalanche were all swift runners, for no sooner than the moment they had all sprinted to the bottom stairs of the ziggurat, the temple began to glow an eerie black. A certain blond haired pilot who was watching everything at a safe distance, stood there alarmed, a single cigarette dangling from the outside of his lips, as he watched the gigantic building fade from sight, as if it was never there. All that remained was an empty space, now forgotten in time.

Cloud panted with pent up exertion, his shoulders sagging with relief as he stared at his teammates, who seemed a little dirty and tired, but fortunately were all safe and alive. He turned his attention to Tifa, who seemed to be slowly rousing herself from unconsciousness.

"Cl-Cloud?" The brunette murmured breathlessly, as her chestnut eyes peaked out from between long, dark lashes. All she could see above her were blue eyes, that looked as warm and gentle as a bright summer sky.

The blond smiled gently at his childhood friend, glad to know she seemed fine. "Are you okay?" The brunette nodded, and with a little help from Cloud, Tifa was pulled up, into a sitting position. Her eyes observed her team-mates around her, and then when she gazed at her surroundings, her eyes widened comically.

"What happened to the temple?!" Tifa asked in alarm, as she eyed the gigantic hole in the ground where the temple once stood.

"Cait, found a way for us to get access to the Black Materia before Sephiroth did," the blond explained, as he walked towards the edge of the hole, peering down into the dark recesses, to see something vaguely shining at the bottom.

"Cait?" Tifa queried slowly as she thought about the little toy cat. "But why would he help us? We barely knew him?"

The blond shrugged. "I don't understand him myself. All I know is that I appreciate any kind of help which prevents Sephiroth from harming our world. Whether the help comes from a human or a toy cat."

The brunette nodded in understanding. "Right. Now, how are we going to get down there Cloud?"

"Don't worry about that Tifa. I will do it." The blond then drew his attention to his other team-mates. "Everyone, stay sharp, I'm going to collect the black materia, then we all need to plan what our next course of action will be,"

And with that, the blond leader of Avalanche began his long and tiring climb downwards to claim possession of the black materia.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Back to Aeris and Kadaj x_

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Oh my!" Aeris breathed, as she stared amazed at the white stretch of purity that filled her vision for miles on end. All she could see was snow. She had read about it in books in Midgar, but she had never seen it in real life. The icy sensation was strange on her fingers. It seemed so delicate yet cold to the touch. And it truly was so beautiful. A gift from Gaia. Aeris would have loved to have had the time to play around in the snow, but she knew she had a mission to accomplish. For she knew beyond the snowfields, destiny was waiting for her. She needed to head North, so everything could be saved. If not then the planet would intervene and…..

The brunette blinked as she felt a gloved hand encase her right one. She grinned softly when her gaze turned to the pale haired teen at her side. Kadaj truly was a caring person. There was something about his presence which caused her to relax. There was something strange and indefinable about him. Aeris realised there was no need to analyse the strange connection she felt with the child, but instead, she decided to embrace the warmth she felt when the child who called her 'Mother' smiled at her fondly and squeezed her hand with a genuine tenderness that Aeris knew was clearly displaced.

"Do you like it Mother?" Kadaj asked sweetly, as he guided his Mother across the snow. His eyes were stretched wide in innocent wonder, as he watched the brunette's rosy cheeks dart from the beauty of the mountains, to the white trees which seemed painted with the silver of natures magic, and then at the tiny footsteps she made behind her. Kadaj knew his mother's excitement, was his excitement. Whatever gave her joy, gave him joy.

"It's beautiful," Aeris murmured breathlessly. "I have never seen anything like this before."

"Yes it is beautiful," Kadaj agreed as he stared into his Mother's sparkling green eyes, seeming to see the light of heaven emanating from within. He watched the faint smoke of the winter winds curl from his lips. Kadaj did not think he could get any happier than he was now. He now had everything he ever wanted, and they had almost made it to the Reunion. And at that thought alone, something unbecoming pricked the teen's heart. Kadaj knew that it would not be too much further. They had almost reached the Northern Crater. The journey with his Mother was almost at an end.

'_But does this mean… this will be the last time I get to be with Mother alone? I am sure…no I know… without a doubt, that when we get to the Reunion, __'__**he**__'__ will protect her and I will have little or no access to her. I__…__I don__'__t want that to happen. I only want Mother to be mine and no-one elses. I don't want anyone to take her from me.__'_

A dark shadow crept across the teens eyes, and his hand unconsciously tightened around his Mother's. _'__No-one will take Mother away from me. Now I have found her, I will never leave her. She is Mine. __**MINE**__!__'_

"Kadaj?"

The teen's possessive thoughts were broken at the sound of his Mother's voice. "What is it Mother?"

Kadaj had addressed the flowergirl by the same title since the moment they had first met. Aeris was 'almost' becoming used to it. _Almost_… Afterall, there were more unpleasant things to be addressed with, the brunette mentally noted. "Where do we go from here?"

The teen grinned softly and pointed at the high rock face in front of them. "We need to get to the top of here. There is a cave up on the far left that we can only enter from the top. After that, there is a small village we will stop by to stock up on supplies. Then if everything goes to plan, I will rendezvous with a companion of mine who will help us across the snowy terrain towards the North Cave."

Aeris blinked. She gazed at the stupidly tall cliff that she was meant to climb then looked at Kadaj. "Erm…ok? What companion?"

"My Brother. Yazoo. Although this is not his mission, he promised to help me aid you back safely."

"I..see," Aeris replied slowly.

"Don't worry Mother. Everything will be fine. You are safe with me,"

Aeris felt reassured with the teens words. But still… "I know that Kadaj, I just have no idea how we are going to climb up that cliff."

"Don't worry Mother. I will keep you safe. I will climb behind you. You have nothing to fear when you are with me." The brunette's eyes crinkled with warmth. She did not doubt Kadaj's abilities. She just doubted her own.

"Okay Mother, if you tie the blanket around your neck like this," Kadaj advised, as he turned the woollen fabric into a cape. The brunette giggled. She seemed like some silly heroine.

"Okay, now you grab like this…"

_0o0o0o0o0o0_

_Four hours later__…__._

_0o0o0o0o0o0_

_Puff. Pant. Pant._

"Oh gods that was awful. Never, and I mean _**never**_ make me do something like that again. Not even for charity," Aeris panted, as she crashed to her knees at the entrance of the cavern. Kadaj chuckled gently, before giving his Mother a large, comforting hug. "You were absolutely splendid Mother." The brunette shook my head. "Nooo, if it was not for you, I would surely be a goner. You are sooo strong despite your stature," Aeris admitted, mentally noting that despite climbing non stop for four hours, Kadaj had not even broken a sweat. In the flowergirl's eyes, Kadaj was completely unbelievable.

The teen blushed at this Mother's words. Any compliment from his Mother sent his heart racing. Kadaj's hands began to sweat with nervous excitement. "M-Mother, you humble me."

The flowergirl shook her head. As much as she wanted to stop and rest, she realised the place they were standing now, was even colder than the bottom of the cliff. Kadaj helped the pretty brunette to her feet. "We go through there," the teen remarked. "Do you think you are strong enough to travel Mother?"

The brunette nodded wearily. "Strike while the iron is hot," Aeris giggled to herself.

Kadaj grinned. "You say strange things Mother."

"Well lets go in this cave then," Aeris stated and with that the pair continued on their journey into the darkness.

0o0o0o0o0

_Back to Avalanche_

0o0o0o0o0o0

"As long as we have this. Sephiroth wont be able to use meteor," Cloud called up to his team-mates as he stared at the cursed onyx hued crystal in his hand. There was something strange about this piece of materia. Cloud could not explain it. It was larger than the other pieces of crystallised mako he had collected on his journey. It felt rather cold to the touch and so void of energy. It did not seem to possess the power of regular materia. It seemed so lifeless. Like a battery that had no charge. The blond could not fathom the amount of spiritual power that would be necessary to charge the materia to full usage. Despite this awareness, Cloud was all too mindful of the danger that he was now holding in his palms. This Black Materia was what Sephiroth wanted to enact his plan of world domination. And Cloud knew he could not let the crazy swordsman go through with his crazy plan. He had to keep the Black Materia with him at all costs. If not, then everything would be lost.

Turning his attention back on his climbing path, Cloud was about to put the cursed orb inside his materia inventory. He then closed his eyes in thought.

'…_If this materia is the most destructive weapon of the Ancients__…__then it will need to be used in a place full of spiritual energy, like the promised land. How will Sephiroth be able to use it anyway? For if what Vincent says is true, Sephiroth is __**not**__ an Ancient. He is different, and therefore, should n__o__t be able to find the promised land.__'_

'_**Ah but I have**__**…'**_

Cloud felt himself freeze.

'_**I**__**'**__**m far superior to the Ancients..**__**'**_

The blond could no longer deny it**.**__He could hear '_**his**__**'**_ voice. It was there in his head again.

'_**I became a traveller of the Lifestream, and in doing so, gained the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients. I also gained the knowledge and wisdom of those after the extinction of the Ancients. And soon I will create the future.**__**'**_

'_**WAKE UP!**__**'**__**  
**_

When Cloud reopened his eyes. The Nightmare was standing right in front of him. Sephiroth was everything Cloud truly feared, and felt disgustingly enraptured by. Cloud did not know what drew him to do his next actions, but seeing the silver haired swordsman made the blond wish to hand the black materia over to Sephiroth. It seemed like a perfectly natural action. And with hands that did not seem like his own, Cloud watched himself in horror, as he calmly walked towards the megalomaniac killer and handed the cursed materia orb into Sephiroth's possession. Cloud had no idea what he was doing. He was no longer in control of his body!

The swordsman's eyes twinkled in dark amusement, as he curled his fingers around the black orb that was now his.

"Thank you Cloud. Good boy," the dark swordsman complimented with no true kindness in his words. And then in a flash, Sephiroth was gone.

The blond dropped to his knees. His brown gloved hands grasped at his head. He threw his head back to the heavens and screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He could feel hands on his shoulders and a feminine voice calling out to him. But Cloud was not in his right mind to listen. The blond lashed out and violently pushed the arms away from him. He was ready to continue attacking his unknown assailant, if it was not for another pair of arms holding him back, and a large jaw clamping down on his right leg. Eventually sanity won over madness, and Cloud realised what had happened. Tifa was cowering away from him in fright, while Vincent and Red were holding him back. Barret, Cid and Yuffie remained at the top of the chasm, staring at him in a mixture of disgusted disbelief. As if he was the enemy?

"W-what just happened?" Cloud spoke weakly as he eyed his team-mates in apparent confusion.

"I tell you what you did you stupid 'foo. You just handed the black materia to the enemy! You gave Sephiroth the black materia!"

Cloud felt himself tremble. "What? How? I…I…didn't.."

"You did Cloud. We all saw you." This time it was Vincent's who was condemning him. "In helping Sephiroth you have damned the planet."

Cloud could think of no response to that. All he could focus on were Tifa's tortured eyes, staring at him with so much pain, before his world bled to darkness….

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Far…far out on the snowy terrains…_

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Aww how adorable," The flowergirl sighed softly, as she walked over to stare at the small little white bunny that was lost and alone in the snow. Its floppy white ears were bent inwards, concealing half its face from view. Its large paws seemed to be preening its cute little bunny face. Aeris leant over and was about to pet its soft fur when…

_-__**SLASH**__-_

"MOTHER!" Came a horrified cry from behind her.

The brunette screamed in pain and drew back her hand, which now had three long bleeding cuts across her palm. The not so sweet bunny glared at the brunette. It's beady little eyes seemed ready for battle. And just as it seemed the rabbit was about to attack her again, a blur of black and silver flashed across her vision, and Aeris watched as Kadaj decapitated the little white monster with a single swing of Souba.

Concerned green eyes turned around in worry. "Mother, are you alright? I'm so sorry! If I knew that beast was going to harm you, I would have killed it the moment we saw it." The teen was genuinely apologetic, as he looked over his Mother's injury, before healing it with his most powerful curative materia.

"Cure 3!"

The brunette shook her head, as she felt the familiar thunderous curative energies flow through her body, curing her of her minor injury. "No, it was my fault Kadaj. I forget at times that wild creatures….are well…_wild_. It was just….that bunny was so cute," Aeris admitted softly, refusing to look in the direction where the former bunny once sat. She disliked witnessing any form of death, despite the fact that killing was sometimes necessary to survive.

"Well cute doesn't always mean friendly." the teen remarked, as he cleaned off Souba on the snow, before sheathing the blade at his side. Aeris looked over at Kadaj, and thought about the words he had just said. "Yes, you are right," she agreed as she eyed the handsome teen, and gave in to the impulse to ruffle his silver bangs, much to the pseudo-irritation of the teen. Kadaj was the most sweetest, yet most violent teen she had ever met. Aeris giggled to herself when she realised she was comparing the teen to a white bunny rabbit. Well…former alive bunny rabbit. She did not think it would be a good idea to speak her thoughts out loud. Not that it would bother the teen. Aeris knew that whatever she said, Kadaj had taken an immense liking to her. She herself did not believe she warranted such kindness from a stranger, but she appreciated it nevertheless.

When Kadaj had enough of the brunette's teasing, he pushed the brunette's hand away, and instead of letting go, he kept it at his side.

"Shall we?" Kadaj said, as he gestured them forward.

"Yes, lets," Aeris agreed, and with that, the pair continued on.

0o0o0o0o0

_1 hour later_

0o0o0o0o0

"It's getting dark Kadaj. Do you think it would be a good idea to stay at the village before we set off again?"

"Of course Mother. Whatever you wish," The teen stated eagerly. "We can stay there for as long as you like."

"One night is fine Kadaj," The brunette responded, as they entered the outskirts of a town covered with snow. Aeris eyed the wooden architecture, and the log cabins which were built down each road. She smiled in amusement as two children used the icy roads to their advantage to slide their toy sleighs down the slopes. It seemed they were having a lot of fun. A gentle squeeze of her right hand caused the brunette to turn her attention to the teen at her side.

"Do you like this place Mother?" The teen asked softly, as he eyed the streets barren of adults and full of playing children. Despite the heavy snow that was falling, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The brunette nodded. "This place seems so carefree and happy. I'd love to live somewhere like this in the future," the brunette remarked softly.

Kadaj grinned. "Well if that is your wish, then I will have to grant it for you."

The brunette blinked. "Eh?"

"I promise to find a place for you to live that gives you the same happiness as this town. I will even build the house there if you'd like?"

Aeris felt flabbergasted. Again Kadaj was trying anything to please her. It was stupidly endearing and sweet of him to offer such things to her. But still….Aeris did not like master- servant relationship that Kadaj seemed to continually adopt around her.

The brunette attempted to turn the conversation around. "But what about you Kadaj? Do you even like this place?"

The teen smiled. "If Mother likes it, then I _love_ it."

The flowergirl shook her head. "That was not what I was asking. So you are telling me, that if I hated this town… then what?" Aeris sighed, causing Kadaj to pause in thought. "What would you say then?"

"Well…" The teen drawled out slowly, as he guided his Mother down the snowy street. "I would have to find another place that would make you happy."

"Oh Kadaj," The brunette sighed again. The teen was truly a hopeless cause. "You really wont change will you?" The teen blinked and turned his innocent, mako tainted eyes on the woman beside him. "Well..if Mother truly wishes it of me, then I will _change_ for you."

If Kadaj wasn't so cute, Aeris would have hit him for that last line. "I mean, you focus on what I want all the time, and my needs! But what about your own? What makes you happy?" When Aeris realised what she had said, she could have mentally slapped herself. She knew what the teen was going to say.

"You already know what makes me happy Mother," Kadaj answered, as he stopped in the middle of the empty road. Aeris did not have to be a genius to work out the answer to her own question. "Me?" She asked with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

Kadaj eagerly nodded his head, alarming the flowergirl when he suddenly pounced on her and hugged her so tightly, that Aeris thought she was going to see spots in her vision.

"Kadaj, hey, hey, I get it. You like me, can you let go of me now?"

The teen seemed reluctant to do so, but he acquiesced to his Mother's commands . Kadaj all the while was beaming widely. His cheeks seemed a little red from the snowy weather and his own emotional excitement, and his bright mako eyes were sparkling with genuine joy. The teen took a hold of the brunette's right hand once more, and soon they were walking again.

"So where will we stay tonight?" Aeris asked softly.

"Well…pick any house you like, and that is where we'll stay Mother," Kadaj answered calmly.

Aeris almost laughed.. "But Kadaj, most of these houses have people living in them already."

The teen shrugged. "That does not matter. If my Mother asks for it then that's what she'll get. I will make it yours. Not theirs."

This time the brunette had to laugh. There was something almost adorable with the way Kadaj was willing to do almost anything for her, no matter how morally wrong it seemed to the rest of the planet. "Well, I guess the best place for us to rest is at an inn right?" Aeris giggled gently.

"Of course Mother. Let's go there together."

The brunette nodded, and the pair began their search for an Inn sign on every door. By the time the pair managed to find the only Inn in the small snowy village, it was getting rather dark. And unfortunately for Aeris, when she asked if there were any rooms spare, the Innkeeper informed the pair that there were no vacancies. In consolation, the Innkeeper told the brunette of an empty house in the village, which had not been used properly for years, and if she was willing to give a small donation to the town, then he could not find a reason why the pair could not rest there for the night.

Aeris happily agreed to the Innkeeper's offer, and Kadaj handed over 300gil.

Now the pair were seated together inside the house. Despite it not being properly used for years as the Innkeeper had mentioned, it still seemed that the house had been kept in remarkably good condition. Aeris was sure this was not the first time the Innkeeper had used the house to generate extra business. The brunette eyed the wooden floorboards and the warm cosy rug at the centre of the room. She then turned her attention towards the stove, and the empty fireplace on the other side of the room. To her far right, there was a large table where strange looking scientific objects littered the area.

"Would you like me to start a fire for you Mother?" Kadaj asked sweetly, as he rummaged through his inventory bag and removed his fire materia. "Yes please," The brunette nodded. The teen was swift to carry out the order. With Kadaj's attention drawn to the fireplace, Aeris began her curious wanderings around the house. On the wall were a couple of paintings of the Great Gaea Cliffs and images of the Great Glacier. Then Aeris drew her attention to a vase on the table full of the prettiest white flowers Aeris had ever seen outside the Midgar slums. The brunette grinned warmly as she reached out to touch one of the delicate petals. She inhaled the floral aroma, appreciating the beauty of life that the planet had offered in the form of pale blossoms.

"Mother what are you doing?"

"Oh!" Aeris exclaimed softly, as the pale haired teen seemed to appear at her side from nowhere.

"I was just looking at these flowers. They are sooo beautiful. Aren't they?"

The teen blinked, pausing for a moment to gaze at the plain buds, unable to decipher why or even how such ugly bulbs could captivate his Mother's attention for so long "They don't really have a purpose," Kadaj stated slowly, as he observed the petals then at his Mother's face. He could not understand the brunette's fascination with them.

The flowergirl frowned. She certainly did not agree with the teen's words. "But they do have a purpose. They are beautiful and serve as an example as to why we must cherish this world Kadaj. You see, not everything in this life needs to have a proper reason to live, and yet it can still create joy for those who seek it. The world we live in now Kadaj, most people don't have the time to look at the flowers. Sometimes the most happiest times of our lives come when we are simply gazing and listening to the beauty that surrounds us." The brunette smiled and reached out to stroke a gentle bloom, "That is when we can truly live."

"Yes Mother," The teen breathed, feeling emotionally drawn to the flowers, now that his Mother had taken time to explain their purpose. He drew a single flower from the vase and eyed the delicate item in his hands. He had now learnt that flowers were something his Mother really cherished, and Kadaj knew that if his Mother cared for them, then he would too. If his Mother asked it of him, he would give her flowers every day. Just because he always wanted to see her happy.

"Kadaj, when I lived in the slums, I used to have a huge garden which were full of so many different coloured flowers. They were all soooooooo beautiful. It was a place where I used to stay for hours at a time. Perhaps…in the future, when everything is over, I can take you there, if you'd like."

The teen's eyes widened. His Mother wanted to show him a part of her life that she treasured. The teen could not say no, even if he wanted to. "Of course Mother, I'd love to see your garden!"

The flowergirl beamed. The teen's words pleased her. Truly, Kadaj was so very….very _cute_. If this was what Motherhood felt like, then the brunette knew she did not feel completely adverse to it at all. However Aeris had a feeling that Kadaj did not act like a regular child. He was almost too cute. Aeris could not stop smiling at Kadaj. It seemed in that moment, another barrier that once separated them had melted away. Aeris no longer attempted to see the similarities between Kadaj and '_**him**_'. Now all she could appreciate were their 'differences'.

***Ring Ring***

"Oh!" The duo jumped in mild surprise. Kadaj blinked and drew his attention to his leather trouser pocket. His mobile was making sounds. Flicking the PHS open, the teen brought the phone to his ear, and grinned wider when an all too familiar voice came through the receiver.

"I haven't heard from you for a while. Was wondering when I'd next hear from you."

"Oho! Really?!" Kadaj jumped back into a nearby chair. Aeris watched in keen interest at all the animated expressions which swept across the teen's features.

"So, where are you now?"

The teen's eyes widened with glee.

"You're joking," Kadaj cackled, pausing to give a cute wink at his Mother. He kicked his leg back and forth in amusement.

"So you are heading our way now?"

"You are near the village then?"

"Do you want me to come to you?"

"Yeah sure! Let me just talk to Mother first and.."

"Yeah, okay. See you in a bit then,"

The teen flipped his phone shut and placed it back inside his pocket.

"Guess what?" Kadaj asked, a little to eagerly.

"What?" Aeris questioned slowly.

"My Brother is only a few miles away. Is it okay if I leave and bring him back here? I wont be long."

Aeris had a feeling that whatever she said, Kadaj would do whatever she asked of him. "Erm…okay?" The flowergirl shrugged. The teen clapped his hands together in joy. He leapt off the chair and leant forward to hug the brunette, before placing a gentle kiss on her left cheek. He drew back immediately afterwards with a rosy blush on his pale face. Aeris blinked and placed her hand over the area where Kadaj's lips touched her skin.

"I will be back before you know it," the teen promised, as he made his way towards the door.

The flowergirl nodded and watched as Kadaj went out into the snow.

"Take care. Be safe," Aeris said gently. The teen smiled softly. "Don't worry Mother, nothing can harm me," Kadaj answered smugly, before shutting the door behind him.

…

The house was now silent of sound. The only faint noise Aeris could hear were the faint whistles of the wind from outside. As the minutes trickled past, Aeris was beginning to get very bored, and so she decided to take the time to look at the strange mechanical objects in the room that seemed so interesting. The brunette blinked at all the strange knobs and buttons on the keyboard device. It all looked so very complicated. Her pale fingers moved across a rather large, and rather vivid red button, which she assumed was the on switch. When she pressed it, a large crackled sound filled the air, causing the brunette to jump. Her eyes then flashed up at the large television screen that had suddenly came to life. Aeris frowned when she saw a strange list, and an cursor arrow key which she could control using the strange metal keyboard in front of her.

'**The Original Crisis.****'**

'**What is Weapon?****'**

'**Confidential. Daughter****'****s Record: 10****th**** Day after birth****'**

'**Confidential. Daughter****'****s Record: 20****th**** Day after birth****'**

The flowergirl was puzzled at the list of subjects which she could see. She believed it would be wise to choose the first item on the list first. She clicked the enter key by 'The Original Crisis', and waited patiently for the images to come onto the screen.

Aeris watched as the room she was currently residing in became the backdrop of the television screen. She then watched as two strangers conversed with one another. The quality of the video was rather grainy so it was a little difficult to make out their faces. One figure was obviously male, with the way he had a very thick busy moustache on his face. He had short brown hair and was wearing a white shirt with a pressed red tie and brown trousers. The other figure was a pretty female who had long brown hair wildly trailing down her back. She was dressed in red robes which was closed with a decorative purple sash. Aeris froze, as recognition filled her mind. She knew exactly who that woman was. She had recently seen her…when she was in the City of the Ancients. There was no denying it.

'That woman…'

'..I know who that woman is…'

'…It is….'

"…my _Mother_…"

Aeris gasped. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her eyes remained fixed at the sight of the brown haired woman who was conversing with the dark haired male. The brunette watched the first video for the first time, not listening to the words, but eyeing the vision of the figures. The second time, she watched the video, she listened to the words.

'_Camera__'__s ready!__'_

'_Then Ifalna, please tell us about the Cetra.__'_

'_**2000 years ago, our ancestors the Cetra, heard the cries of the Planet**__**'**_

'_**The first ones to discover the Planets wound were the Cetra at the Knowlespole**__**'**_

'_Tell us Ifalna, Where is the land called__'__ Knowlespole;?__'_

'_**Knowlespole refers to this area. The Cetra then began a Planet-reading.**__**'**_

'_Ifalna, what exactly does Planet-reading entail?__'_

'_**I can**__**'**__**t explain it very well, but its like having a conversation with the Planet.**__**'**_

'_**It said something fell from the sky, making a large wound.**__**'**_

'_**Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the planet.**__**'**_

'_**But, due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years**__**'**_

'_Do the Ancients, rather, the Cetra, have special powers to heal the Planet?__'_

'_**No, its not that kind of power. The life force of all living things on this Planet becomes the energy.**__**'**_

'_**The Cetra tried desperately to cultivate the land so as not to diminish the needed energy**__**'**_

'_Hmm, even here so close to the North Cave, the snow never melts. Is that because the planet__'__s energy is gathered here to heal its injury?__'_

'_**Yes, the energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the land**__**…**__**then the Planet..**__**'**_

'_**The Planet tried to persuade the Cetra to leave the Knowlespole, but**__**…'**_

'_Ifalna__…__Lets take a break__…'_

'_**I**__**'**__**m all right**__**…**__**When the Cetra**__**…**__**were preparing to part with the land they loved..**__**'**_

'_**That**__**'**__**s when it appeared!**__**'**_

'_**It looked like...our**__**…**__**our dead mothers**__**…**__**and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past.**__**'**_

'_Who is the person that appeared at the North Cave? I haven__'__t any idea.__'_

'_**That**__**'**__**s when the one who injured the Planet**__**…**__**or the **__**'**__**crisis from the sky**__**'**__**. as we call him, came..**__**'**_

'_**He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally**__**…**__**gave them the virus..**__**'**_

'_**The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad**__**…**__**transforming into monsters.**__**'**_

'_**Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole.**__**'**_

'_**He approached other Cetra clans**__**…**__**infecting them with**__**…**__** the virus..**__**'**_

'_You don__'__t look well... Lets call it a day.__'_

The video finished, and Aeris watched it, again, and again.

"_My Mother__…__was here__…__and I__'__m here too. Is this the workings of fate? Was I meant to come here?__"_

'…_.your destiny was meant to end when I got to the Ancient City,__'_

The brunette's vision blurred at the memory of her Mother's words. And then she continued watching the next video on the list. In this video, Aeris noticed that her Mother was on the other side of the room.

'_Ifalna can you comment on the thing called Weapon?__'_

'_**Yes, Professor.**__**'**_

'_**The one the Professor mistook for a Cetra**__**…**__**was named Jenova.**__**'**_

'_**That is the **__**'**__**Crisis from the Sky.**__**''**_

'_**The Planet knew it had to destroy the **__**'**__**Crisis from the Sky**__**'.'**_

'_**You see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself.**__**'**_

'_Back then, Weapon was a weapon the Planet produced of its own will?__'_

'_**Yes, but**__**…**__** There is no record of Weapon ever being used.**__**'**_

'_**A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it.**__**'**_

'_**The Planet produced Weapon... But it was no longer necessary to use it.**__**'**_

'_So, Weapon no longer exists on this Planet?__'_

'_**Weapon cannot vanish... it remains asleep somewhere on the Planet.**__**'**_

'_**Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time**__**…'**_

'_**The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still, watching Jenova.**__**'**_

'_Where is weapon?__'_

'_**I don**__**'**__**t know**__**…**__**I cant hear the voice of the Planet well**__**…'**_

'_**Times**__**…**__**have changed. The Planet**__**…**__**is probably watching this situation closely.**__**'**_

'_Thank you, Ifalna. That will be all for today.__'_

"Jenova…" Aeris murmured. "Sephiroth's Mother…It cant be…" Aeris raised a hand to her throat. She was suddenly feeling very ill. The madness was beginning to make sense. Sephiroth had became a monster because…..of the Calamity…because of the alien creature…Jenova. It explained why the planet feared him, as he shared the blood of an evil that almost destroyed mankind. Aeris shivered with fear. There was so many things she did not truly understand. But as each day passed, slowly things were making a little more sense. All Aeris realised now was that Sephiroth needed to be stopped. For if she didn't… Then the Weapon that her Mother described would be awoken by the planet to bring Sephiroth down. Aeris did not want things to come to that. Aeris knew there had to be a way to stop him.

The brunette felt her eyes blur with raw emotion as she looked at the next item on the list. '_Confidential. Daughter__'__s Record: 10__th__ Day after birth_.' She paused for a moment to inhale a breath of courage before clicking the enter button.

Unlike the previous videos, the brunette was confused why the screen remained black. However it seemed the audio was still working. Aeris listened to the conversation of two voices she soon recognised to be her real mother and father.

'_**What are you doing, Profes**__**…**__**I mean honey?**__**'**_

'_Oh I__'__m thinking of taping it on video. But, the video__'__s not working right..__'_

'_**What are you going to tape? Is there still something I haven**__**'**__**t mentioned?**__**'**_

'_No, that__'__s not it. I__'__m going to record my beautiful daughter.__'_

'_**And when she**__**'**__**s sleeping, her face looks like an angel**__**…'**_

'_**First, we have to figure out her name. We can take the video later!**__**'**_

'_I__'__ve already decided! As it__'__s a girl, then it__'__s be Aeris. That__'__s that.__'_

'_**You are SO selfish!**__**'**_

'_But Aeris is a good name!__'_

'_**He hee... it**__**'**__**s a good name, considering it came out of that forgetful head of yours!**__**'**_

The brunette's eyes brimmed with tears. She raised a shaking fist to her mouth, trying to quell the rising emotions of her being. She had never met her father. She never knew what he looked like, or even sounded like. Seeing and hearing him in the last three videos was more than she ever wanted. It seemed he was the one who chose her name too. She had always assumed it was her Mother's choice. A small sob slipped out the brunette's lips.

"Father…" Aeris murmured brokenly, as she moved the cursor down to click on the final video. This time Aeris saw the television flicker back to life.

_**20 day after Birth**_

'_**Video again? You just got through taping!**__**'**_

'…_Please don__'__t say it that way.__'_

'_**It**__**'**__**s our lovely daughter, both yours**__**…**__**and mine!**__**'**_

'_Don__'__t you want to capture her childhood on videotape?__'_

'_**If you keep doting on her like that, she wont grow up to be strong**__**…'**_

'_**Aeris is different from the other children. I wonder what dangers await her**__**…**__**?**__**'**_

'_Never say that! I will protect you and Aeris no matter what!__'_

'_You and Aeris are my only treasures. I__'__ll never let you go!!!__'_

'_**I feel so much better now, darling**__**'**_

'_If I hadn__'__t met you, I__…'_

The pair embraced, and Aeris watched as a violent rap at the door broke their romantic moment together..

'_Who could that__…__I was just about to..__'_

'_Damn!!__'_

'_How dare they intrude on our __'__private time__'__ together!__'_

'_**I**__**'**__**ll send them away!**__**'**_

'_Yes at once!!__'_

'_**Who the devil?**__**'**_

'_**It, it**__**'**__**s them!**__**'**_

Aeris stared at the screen in horror. She was violently quaking now. She knew something bad was going to happen. She was almost too afraid to watch anymore. But something inside her kept her eyes glued to the screen. She could not look away. Aeris thought she could have died when she saw a slimy yet very recognisable figure slither on the screen. Despite him looking at least two decades younger, Aeris knew without a doubt who the white robed scientist was.

'_Heh, heh, heh__…__ I__'__ve been searching for you, Ifalna__…__or should I say, Cetra!__'_

'_Long time no see, Professor Gast!__'_

'_Hojo__…__how did you know?__'_

Aeris held her hands over her heart. She knew now, without a doubt something very bad was going to happen. She ran her hand over her brand mark, covering the black scar from view. She did not want to see the video any more.

She couldn't.

But her eyes did not move away from the screen.

'_Believe me, I had to turn over a stone or two to find you.__'_

'_Two years I waited__…__That__'__s how much I wanted this new sample__…__Ha, ha, ha.__'_

'_**New sample? You don**__**'**__**t mean Aeris?!**__**'**_

'_Hmm, Aeris?__'_

'_What a nice name__…__Ha, ha, ha.__'_

'_That__'__s it! I__'__m severing all ties with the Shinra.__'_

'_**Hojo please leave,**__**'**_

'_Ifalna! __'_

'_**Please, Aeris has nothing to do with it! All you want is me, right?**__**'**_

'_I__'__ll need all of you for my experiment__'_

'_You understand don__'__t you, Professor Gast? We can change the future of the planet!__'_

'_Don__'__t worry, Ifalna. I__'__ll take care of this!__'_

'_Please don__'__t put up a fight. I don__'__t want any harm to come to my precious sample.__'_

'_Mmm? What a funny looking camera. Guard! Destroy it!__'_

At the mad scientist's words, the screen suddenly went black. Aeris shuddered. She felt violently ill. Her body curled in on itself. Even without seeing the image on the screen, she knew what was going to happen. Hojo was going to kill her father, and no-one could stop him.

'_Be careful with her!! Ha, ha, ha__…'_

Aeris clenched her eyes shut. In her mind she could see the scientist's twisted smile, as he gazed down at her Mother and father with the eyes of a madman.

'_**Wh..what are you doing, Professsor!?**__**'**_

She held her hands against her ears. She was trembling now. Truly trembling. She could hear the fright in her Mother's voice. Her own heartbeat had became violently erratic.

'_Ifalna! Take Aeris and run!!__'_

Aeris shuddered. She could not bear to hear the raw and agonising anguish in her father's voice.

_**X BANG X**_

Aeris snapped her eyes open in horror. Her pale fingers slackened around her face. Wet tears of raw emotion dribbled down her face and stained her cheeks with pure sorrow. She had just heard the gunshot which ended her father's life.

'_Eyaaaah__…__Darling!__'_

Aeris was too choked up to even breathe properly. She finally knew what happened. Hojo was to blame for her father's death and why they had both been kept inside Shinra's laboratories all those years. It was all because of that twisted madman, that Ifalna suffered.

'_Oh , and uh__…__don__'__t forget the child!__'_

'_Hmm, a video? The Ancients__…__ Weapon!?__'_

'_Hehe heh heh,... A mountain of treasure. Thank you professor, hahaha.__'_

The crackling audio went dead, and Aeris knelt on the floor, broken and traumatised at the horrific revelation. She was too upset to notice that the door had opened and two dark clothed males had entered the house. What she did notice was when Kadaj noticed her on the floor. He rushed down to her, and allowed her to sob against his chest.

"Mother!" Kadaj exclaimed. He had no idea what could have caused the flowergirl to break down in such a way. The teen turned his attention to the other silent male in the room, who was calmly looking at the crying brunette with cold, apathetic eyes. The cold eyed stranger then drew his attention to Kadaj and mentally calculated the situation at hand, already diagnosing the potential problem between the flowergirl and his Brother with just one glance.

"Hmm, Interesting," he murmured to himself, as he gazed at the relationship between his Brother and the strange, weak female. "Perfectly repulsive. Yet undeniably interesting."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Phew. Now that chapter is stupidly long. I thought it was necessary for everyone to realise what was happening with Avalanche's search and Aeris' travels with Kadaj. It seems that Yazoo is not overly fond of Aeris. This will idea will be extended further in later chapters and explained. Don't worry A/K fans, Kadaj is still besotted. Bless him. I watched FF7 Advent Children complete the other day, and I still believe the silver haired trio to be truly innocent, just misdirected.

Awww tell me what you think you guys. I hope you all enjoyed the last 30 pages. Whew…. It's about 1am, I think it is a good idea to rest now

Don't forget to review.

Hon Ja ne

Aer_Seph4eva x


	23. She is NOT our Mother!

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**7,792 Words**

**19 pages**

**Chapter 23**

**She is not our Mother!**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Hey guys, how have you all been? I hoped you enjoyed my last whopper of a chapter. I know it was stupidly long, even for me. But I believed the length was necessary since there was so much I needed to cram in there lol x I also noticed that when I first updated ch22, fanfictionnet managed to do something silly with the formatting which meant I had no punctuation for the first few days! Grrr. x**

**Oh well, I have managed to sort it out now. So with that, I will go straight back to this chapter.**

**Musical Muses for today.**

**Well today I have been looking at different youtube vids, and there is a rather interesting one that features a rather beautiful song. Simply type in Sephiroth:// Aney, unborn child on youtube, and guys tell me what you think of it.**

**Hmm…I intend to write a lot of angsty strangeness in this chapter so I think the FF7 DOC is necessary, and themes from the original ff7 soundtrack. I hope most of you guys have had the opportunity to watch ff7 AC Complete since they have done some brilliant remixes for most of the ff themes. My favourite atm, is Shinra's theme which they have dubbed 'Sign'. It is so brilliantly creepy. I love the choral addition they have put in it. Look it up on youtube, believe me it's a brilliant song if you are trying to envision morbid activities with dubiously moralistic SHM lol x**

**Now that is out of the way.**

**On with the fic!**

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Icicle Inn**

**Prior to Meeting Mother…**

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kadaj sprinted across the snow towards a dark figure hiding in the shadows of a derelict building. The teen's lips stretched into a wide smile. He waved in excitement when all too familiar mako eyes, eyes that were so like his own, stared right back at him.

The elder male nodded at the younger warrior, pausing for a moment to put his gun back in its holster.

"Brother!" The teen cried out eagerly, as he reached the pale man's side. "You're here! I thought you would be waiting outside the crater. Not this close," Kadaj said as he looked over the elder warrior, before turning his attention towards his brother's mode of transport.

"Whoa," Kadaj exclaimed, before whistling with appreciation. His brother was riding a gorgeous motorbike. It gleamed a vicious black and seemed like a powerful little monster. The engine was large and beautiful, created with eight cylinders of raw power which when coupled to a six speed sequential transmission was a prized toy for any bike lover. It reeked of pure power and Kadaj was dying to try it out. Fortunately for Kadaj and Yazoo, the bike seemed very suitable for driving in the snow. However one realisation puzzled the teen. There is only room for two people to travel on the bike. Kadaj was confused. Including his Mother, there was three of them. He had no idea what his brother was planning, if had even planned anything at all.

"How can we all travel on this bike Brother…?"

The pale haired male grinned and bent down to chuck a large board at the teen.

Kadaj blinked and stared down at the red snowboard. He was not stupid. He knew what the elder warrior was thinking. "You mean someone will have to board while the others bike?"

The pale warrior chuckled softly. "You can decide who will use the board, but remember this bike is mine. I will be the one driving it. I don't care who rides behind me."

Kadaj's eyes widened. "But I couldn't let Mother ride on this board! Especially if she was alone! I would not want her to get hurt."

The elder brother's ears pricked in confusion. "Mother? You call her that already?"

Kadaj nodded. "Of course. For that is what she is to all of us."

The elder male frowned. "No she is not. Not yet at least."

Kadaj shrugged. "It doesn't matter. She will be. _**He**_ told me."

"Sephiroth?" Kadaj's brother queried softly, while brushing a hand through his hair. "Fine. Lets just collect the _**host **_and then we will be on our way."

The young teen bristled. "Don't call Mother that! You don't understand anything!"

The elder warrior tilted his head to the side. "Oh? You are sadly mistaken Brother. Since you have been gone from the Sanctuary, it seems that the rest of our Brothers are getting ready for the Reunion. It is more than obvious what purpose a woman has with Sephiroth's plans if he intends you, and everyone else to address her as Mother."

Kadaj did not like what his brother was saying. It seemed his brother did not like the thought of Aeris being titled as his Mother. "Well I don't care what you think. You better not be cruel to her Brother. She is truly perfect and I want no-one to hurt her."

"As you wish little Brother…." The elder male shrugged. In truth, he truly did not care what Kadaj thought of him.

Kadaj hopped on the back of his Brother's bike.

"Now tell me where to go…"

The engine came to life and then they were off.

0o0o0o0o0

When Kadaj opened the door of their temporary home with a silent pale haired gunman following in tow, he was not expecting to see his Mother traumatised and broken on the floor. Fearing the worst, Kadaj ignored the slightly confused look of his brother and dashed to the brunette's side.

"Mother! Are you alright?! What happened? Are you hurt?" The teen furrowed his eyebrows with genuine concern. It was clear his Mother had been crying again. "Are you in pain?" He asked softly.

Aeris shook her head, but her small white hands clutched on the lapel of the teen's coat. She was trying to control her silent sobbing. Eventually it lessened, and Kadaj watched as the flowergirl drew a hand over her wet eyes.

"I-I'm fine now. Kadaj," Aeris said softly, as she tried to not look at the television equipment beside her. She had just seen her Mother and Father. And now she knew what fate had befell them. Shinra…_Shinra_ were to blame. It was always them.

"Come on Mother, let me get you up off the floor and onto that chair over there," Kadaj coaxed gently, as he guided the brunette off the floor and onto a nearby chair. He pulled back when he was sure the flowergirl was seated comfortably.

"Do you feel a little better now Mother?" Kadaj voiced gently.

Aeris did not respond to the concerned teen, for someone else had caught her attention. The flowergirl was now looking at a pale haired stranger in the room, with a look akin to horrific wonder.

"Ah let me introduce you Mother, this is my Brother. Yazoo," Kadaj explained, as he gestured for the older male to come closer. But Yazoo did not. Instead he stood against the wall and folded his arms, remaining presumably indifferent to the fact that he was standing in the presence of 'Mother'.

"Erm… H-Hello?" Aeris squeaked weakly, as she gazed at the silent but beautiful silver haired gunman. Although he was a good few inches taller than Kadaj, he seemed to share the same exotic features. They both had the same unearthly beauty. The same mako tainted eyes. The same pale skin and silvery locks. They even wore the same black leather. But unlike Kadaj, Yazoo's body was much taller, his hair was much longer, and he appeared to encompass a greater hidden power.

'…_This is really…strange… this man looks less like Kadaj…..but more like…..__**Him**__.' _Aeris mused to herself as she gazed the cold expression on the warrior's face. A face that was half shrouded behind his long silver hair.

'…_He…looks very secretive too…and rather...unfriendly.'_

Yazoo murmured a short sound which sounded remarkably like a snort.

And then silence dominated the home.

"Mother? Are you sure you are okay? Has your stomach ache from the last few days returned?"

The brunette flushed. "No! I- I'm fine." Aeris said softly, trying to hide her embarrassment. She did not want to think about her uncomfortable experience of her period in the middle of the wilderness. Fortunately the cramps had lessened now. The pain had long since passed.

"You sure? Would you like me to make you a drink Mother? A cup of tea perhaps?" Kadaj asked earnestly. "I'm sure I have some herbs in my bag that I could ferment-" the teen continued, as he left the brunette's side to look inside his satchel.

Aeris tried to crack a soft smile. But failed. She really had no strength to feign happiness today. She was completely drained by each new revelation she had encountered over the last few days. Today had truly taken its toll on her. "I…guess I don't mind a cup of tea Kadaj."

"Great!" Kadaj exclaimed, as he drew out a pouch containing a small amount of dried tea leaves. His mint tainted gaze then turned towards his elder Brother. "Yazoo, would you like a cup?"

The elder male fought the urge to roll his eyes at his younger brother, before shaking his head in decline. _'…What are you doing Kadaj? You have….changed….and became so….indecent….Is it because of this woman? What a fool.' _Yazoo watched through the corner of his eyes as his younger Brother dashed off into the kitchen to prepare the hot beverage for the pink clothed brunette on the chair. Now that Kadaj had left the room, the room had became unhealthily silent.

"So, Yazoo is your name, right?" Aeris eventually voiced at the silent male, finding the silence between them almost unbearable.

Yazoo shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "……"

The seconds trickled by and Aeris was getting more uncomfortable.

"Erm…are you the guy that Kadaj was on the phone to?"

Yazoo shrugged. "………"

The flowergirl internally sighed. It did not matter what Aeris asked, all of her questions were answered with silence. Aeris could have almost assumed that the strange pale haired man was born mute. But that thought seemed ridiculous in itself, since Kadaj managed a phonecall with him.

However, the more Aeris looked at Yazoo, his entire persona seemed to scream at her. '_Do not talk to me. You are not welcome.' _Aeris shuddered to herself. She had a funny feeling that Yazoo did not like her. What she did not understand was why.

And so the pair remained in uncomfortable silence until Kadaj returned.

When the bounding silver haired warrior returned with a steaming mug of tea, Aeris could have kissed the young teen. If the flowergirl had felt any qualms against Kadaj's overly sociable behaviour in the past, they had all but disappeared after suffering in silence with his elder brother. For reasons she could not truly explain herself, Aeris wanted to leave the elder teen's side. There was something about him. Something unnerving about Yazoo. Something she did not trust.

'_It's because he is more like '__**Him**__' than Kadaj is…'_

'…_The similarities scare you…'_

'…_And unlike Kadaj…Yazoo does not seem friendly at all…'_

'…_.And if someone gave him a seven foot sword, Yazoo seems the kind of person who could happily use it...'_

"You know what, Kadaj…I. I am not feeling well. I'm going to have an early night," The brunette said weakly, as she thought about the content of the videos she had just watched. She did not want to think back to her own Nightmares in Nibelheim. She did not want to think of silver haired men wielding seven foot swords. What she wanted, and needed, was rest.

"Oh! Okay Mother," Kadaj answered without a moment's thought. But then mint hued eyes gazed at the item in his hands. "But what about your tea?"

Aeris took it from the teen's gloved fingers. "I will take it up with me to bed. Goodnight Kadaj…"

"Goodnight Mother!" The teen proclaimed cheerfully. No matter the time or the circumstance, Kadaj's eyes seemed to resonate only gentle warmth and genuine kindness towards her. Aeris could not help but smile gently at the teen. He was just too cute.

The flowergirl's green eyes then warily flickered to the other male in the room. Cold mako eyes turned on her, and Aeris fought the urge to shudder. _'It's not him. It's not him.'_

"G-Goodnight Yazoo."

The older male made no response. He did not even make a gentle head gesture. He then turned his apathetic gaze away, to look out a nearby window, and Aeris mentally sighed to herself. She had experienced too much mental stress tonight. She was ready for bed. She had a lot to think about. Yazoo at this moment in time was the least of her worries.

And so Aeris left the room and went upstairs to bed.

And now the brothers remained in the dark living room, the only light present was the flickering glow of a candelabra above them.

Yazoo eventually broke the silence between the two brothers. "Why?" He drawled out softly to the air, as he moved from the fireplace to stand before his younger brother, who was lounged across the sofa.

Kadaj blinked, and looked up at the older silver haired male. "Why what?"

"Why do you call her that?" Yazoo pointed out softly. The warrior seemed neither amused nor concerned. Just apathetically inquisitive.

"Huh?" Not Kadaj was genuinely confused. "Call who what?"

"That dark haired woman. She is not your mother, yet that is what you call her." Yazoo elaborated calmly. His face remained expressionless despite watching the younger teen's face contort in surprise to his words.

"Yazoo!" Kadaj remarked in horror as he stood up to face his brother. "How can you say such things?"

"Because what I say is the truth." Yazoo shrugged dryly.

"But, you don't understand! She is my Mother. She is your Mother too!" Kadaj exclaimed.

Yazoo shook his head. It seemed his brother had became mentally short sighed since they had last spoke. "She _will_ be our Mother little Brother. At this moment in time, that woman you call Mother is no different than the rest of the scum on this planet. You seem to have forgotten that." Yazoo sighed. It seemed Kadaj did not seem to agree with him. An unfortunate matter indeed, but not an unusual one. It seemed whenever any pragmatic debate crossed between them, he and Kadaj were at polar opposites. Yazoo knew he could always see the truth of reality while Kadaj was happy to submerge himself in dreams governed only by fools.

Yazoo mentally sighed. Intelligence was sometimes a burden.

Kadaj knew he could not deny the elder male's logic, nor the truth of what he had just heard. Still, that did not mean he liked what Yazoo had said. "H-how can you say such blasphemes about our Mother?" Kadaj asked aghast. When he thought of the gentle flowergirl, Kadaj could only feel warmth and love resonating in her presence. She was pure and needed to be protected from the scum that wanted to harm her. Aeris was nothing like the putrid and pathetic humans which propagated the planet. She was worth so much more. Kadaj could not understand why Yazoo could not see that. He could not understand how Yazoo could speak such words of pure blasphemy about a being who was so important to their shining new future.

Yazoo, drew a gloved hand to part his pale bangs away from his glowing mako vision. He was truly unaffected by his younger sibling's upset tone. "Until the moment that woman rightfully assumes a title in the Sanctuary, that woman holds no importance, nor any interest to me."

Kadaj gaped at his elder brother. He could not comprehend the elder male's thinking. He was so sacrilegious. It was pure blasphemy! He had no idea what Sephiroth would have done if he heard the same words that Yazoo had spoken. Surely Yazoo's head would be rolling for such disrespect.

And then Yazoo continued his sacrilegious rant.

"But then little brother. You should not assume my view of that woman will change, even when she does become our 'Mother'. Mother's purpose to this Reunion is small at best. A light of false hope to us all. Remember that Kadaj, with or without her, the Reunion will come to pass. And eventually all lights flicker out and die, and can then be easily replaced with another torch. That woman you call Mother will be no different."

Kadaj's eyes were nearly bugging out of their sockets. His hands were fisted at his sides. He was ready to fight on his Mother's defence. But….no words would come.

And so Yazoo continued.

"Kadaj, I am going to prepare the bike for tomorrow. Since it seems that this woman is too weak to walk by herself, let alone ride a board, I assume she will be riding with me to the base of Gaea's cliff. You will follow from behind using the snowboard I gave you earlier,"

"Hey!" Kadaj exclaimed, incensed that Yazoo was trying to turn things in his favour. "Whose mission is this meant to be remember! Why cant I ride with Mother and you use the snowboard!?"

Yazoo sighed. It seemed his brother was being unreasonable. "Remember who is aiding who Brother. If I was not around, how would you have managed to reach the Northern Cave Crater? On foot?" He asked dryly.

Kadaj became silent.

"The woman will travel with me." Yazoo finished. He wanted no further argument on it.

"But can't you use the sledge?" Kadaj pouted. He did not like his brother's plan at all.

One single glare from the older male shut the teen up.

"We will travel at 05:00hrs. If things go accordingly, I should be able to reach Gaia's cliff before nightfall. There is a cave I used there. We can all stay there for the night. Since you are travelling by snowboard, I assume you will be approximately five to seven hours behind me. I will expect you to report via PHS when you reach the base of the cliff so I can guide you to the cave."

Kadaj frowned severely. His pale lips were showing his back teeth in mounting anger. At this moment in time. Kadaj hated his elder brother with every little bone in his body. However the teen regrettably knew that his Mother's safety to the Reunion were more important than his own needs. What irritated Kadaj to no end was how Yazoo wasn't even acting out plans with jealousy. Kadaj knew Yazoo cared little for the woman he refused to see as their Mother, and yet he wanted to be the one ride alone with her on a bike, and stay alone in a cave together…or at least alone for a few hours before he reached them. The teen internally seethed. It was so not fair. He did not want Yazoo to get his own way. A dark and insidious thought crossed his mind. Kadaj knew he could very well fight his brother to claim possession of the bike, and thus be the one to take his Mother to the Reunion. But the teen was all too aware of the repercussions of such a risky plan. Kadaj could not see Yazoo taking any form of betrayal from him kindly. The teen clenched his gloved hands. He knew there was still time to steal a form of transport from the town. Even if it was a dumb, fat mountain chocobo or something. The teen nodded to himself. That was what he was going to do. He would not let Yazoo get his own way.

'_It is my mission damnit!'_

He turned towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Yazoo asked calmly, even though his leather clad back was facing the younger teen.

Kadaj was too angry to hide the irritation from his voice. "None of your business Yazoo."

Pale lips twitched softly. "Are you mad at me Kadaj?" Yazoo asked slowly. In truth, the realisation did not bother him at all. Nothing really did.

The only answer to his words was a slammed door. Yazoo chuckled then, as he eyed his brother through the window. He watched silently as the dark figure disappeared around a corner. Shaking his head, the elder warrior turned and accessed the room with apathetic and lifeless eyes. There was too much clutter in the room. Too many unnecessary trinkets which seemed so gaudy and unnecessary. There was no gaudiness in the Sanctuary. Everything was pure and pristine. Plain, simple and practical. Nothing was illogical.

"Unlike this room. So pointless," the pale haired warrior murmured in silence. His black boots silently crossed the floor and then he stopped. He eyed the staircase above him. If he listened closely, Yazoo knew he could hear the faint breathing of a sleeping occupant upstairs. Mako tainted eyes narrowed in question.

'_That woman.' _

'_Someone who is so seemingly unimportant, but so crucial…so distasteful.'_

Yazoo shrugged. He did not know what gave him the impulse to, but he silently made his way up the winding staircase. He assumed it was out of morbid curiosity. For Yazoo knew he had no care nor interest in the dark haired female. The pale haired male was simply curious what Kadaj and even the Great Sephiroth could have seen in this potentially weak female. As he came to the top floor, Yazoo moved like a shadow across the dark floorboards, eyeing three beds aligned in a row across the room. One of the three beds was occupied, the one on the furthest side of the room. His attention was drawn towards it.

Yazoo crept closer…

And then he paused.

Something did not seem right.

Yazoo heard the calm sound of rhythmic breathing. But it seemed forced. Almost unnatural.

Pale lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. The strange girl was feigning sleep. She was trying to fool him. As if she could.

'Hmm, Interesting,' Yazoo thought to himself, as he silently stood beside the brunette's bedside watching her pseudo-sleep. Since the large woollen blanket was covering the flower girl's body from view, the sight was rather boring and Yazoo quickly became disinterested with the dark haired girl. His interest in the female was vastly waning, and so the pale haired gunman decided to leave the room.

But that was when he felt it.

_**His**_ presence. Yazoo jerked forward and clutched his head.

'**That is enough my puppet**…**.You may rest for now.'**

"S-Sephiroth?" Yazoo vocalised weakly.

'**Puppet be gone.'**

And in that instant, Yazoo felt his legs give way, and his lean body sag to the floor. When the body rose, luminous mako tainted eyes looked around with pure satisfaction. His eyes latched onto his target. In the skin of Yazoo, Sephiroth grinned with pure sadism. He too, had recognised Aeris' feigned sleep. But unlike Yazoo, he was not going to simply watch the flowergirl. Sephiroth took no time to throw off the dark covers off the brunette's form. The swordsman took no notice of the brunette's squeal of horror. Instead he grabbed her arms with one of his own and brought her face level with his haunting, mako tainted gaze.

"Yazoo what? What are you doing?!" Aeris cried out in alarm. "Let me go!"

The face of Yazoo smiled. Aeris' felt her heart froze. Yazoo's face did not seem the kind that was used to smiling. It seemed forced and unnatural. Aeris continued her relentless struggles.

"_**I will not let you go. Never,"**_ Came a cold, dark voice from the lips of Yazoo. Aeris froze. She had never heard Yazoo speak but instinct told her the voice she had just heard, did not come from him. She had expected something which sounded calm and aloof in tone. Maybe something a little distant or uncaring. But the voice Aeris heard now. She remembered it all too well, as she had heard it in her dreams, as well as her nightmares.

"S-Sephiroth?" Aeris squeaked softly, as her struggles came to a stop. Mako eyes gleamed in the darkness, and the swordsman drew himself even closer to the brunette. His grip on her hands lessened.

_**"Ssh, I do not have enough time to simply talk**_," Sephiroth said quietly as he raised a gloved hand to glide down the brunette's pale cheek.

The flowergirl shook her head. Her body was shivering with fright but she forced the next words out. "It doesn't matter. We _need_ to talk."

_**"I know,"**_ Sephiroth said quietly, as he looked down at her with the face of Yazoo. **"_I just wanted to see you again."_**

Something uneasy throbbed inside the brunette's heart. Aeris had to quench that feeling down. She consciously reminded herself of her Mother's words, and the cursed black materia.

"Do you have the black materia?" They were the first words that fell out of the brunette's mouth.

Sephiroth smirked using Yazoo's lips. Aeris shivered. Now that was an expression that suited the pale warrior's face. **"_Such an intelligent and well informed girl. Yes, I have the black materia little one."_**

'_It is as the Planet fears.'_

The brunette's eyes wavered. She gulped mentally. This was her opportunity. She had to stop Sephiroth. She was the only one who could.

Aeris clenched her eyes shut as she mentally summoned the strength to ask her next words. "W-will you use it?"

Sephiroth chuckled. "**_In time, yes."_**

The brunette's eyes snapped open in horror.

And then the swordsman continued.**_ "But we can talk about these matters when you get to the Reunion. For now I simply wished to check up on you. Have you been keeping well?"_**

Aeris tried to keep her eyes from meeting the swordsman's. She did not know how to respond to a man who spoke words of genocide, and yet cared enough to ask about her personal welfare. He was madness incarnate and Aeris felt so powerless around him. At this moment in time, the flowergirl truly had no idea how she would carry out her Mother's wishes.

"Y-yes," Aeris murmured weakly, as her eyes flickered on mako eyes that were staring down at her with genuine warmth.

"_**Good."**_

Aeris shivered. She really did not know what to expect with Sephiroth anymore. The last time he spoke to her was through Kadaj, and then, he was not so gentle. In fact he was insanely violent and cruel to her. This side of Sephiroth was incredibly unsettling, for it made the brunette almost think she was not talking to a man who was hell bent on mass slaughter. This man almost seemed kind…

_**"You are cold?"**_

The brunette barely had the courage to move her mouth. She did not know why everything seemed so difficult when he was around her. All her thoughts of what to do or say became blurred. And then she was tugged towards the swordsman and pulled into his arms. Aeris sat there frozen in the arms of her potential killer. Everything felt so unnatural and surreal. She….she really did not want to be touched by Sephiroth…or Yazoo. But Aeris did not have the courage to move. She knew when Sephiroth was around, she became an emotional basket case. For as much as she feared Sephiroth, and as much as she did not have the courage to bring her arms around to hug the enemy of the Planet, despite all of that, Aeris did not want Sephiroth to remove his hold from her. She did not want him to touch her, and yet she did not want him to remove his hold.

'…_This is crazy…Insanity. Madness.'_

'…_I know…someday this will all break me…'_

'…_.Knowing Sephiroth like I do now…everything that we have experienced will ultimately result in sadness.'_

Aeris began to feel hollow in the arms of the pale haired warrior. Her emotions were fractured and dysfunctional. Her emotional state only became worse when she heard Sephiroth's next words.

_**"I am sorry little one."**_

Aeris froze in the swordsman's arms, and so Sephiroth continued on.

_**"The last time we met, you made me lose reason. I am sorry."**_

Aeris opened her mouth to speak. She did not know what to say. However two gloved fingers on her lips stilled the brunette of all emotional thought. _**"Aeris, no words are necessary. Listen to me, time is short. However, soon we will have all of eternity to speak to one another. Soon we will talk about anything your heart truly desires."**_

Aeris shuddered with raw emotion, as the gloved fingertips stroked her lower lip with the tenderness of a caring lover.

**"_I will make it up to you Aeris, I can promise you that."_**

The brunette shut her eyes and pulled her head away from the swordsman's playful fingers. The flowergirl felt so much braver when she did not see the face of '_**Him**_' staring so fondly at her. "How are you doing this? How are you talking through….Kadaj and Yazoo?"

Sephiroth chuckled and drew the brunette even closer to his side causing Aeris' eyes to whip open in surprise. They were now both seated on the single bed. Aeris could not have moved away from him, even if she tried. He was far too powerful and intensely enthralling.

_**"Oho, it seems you failed to listen to the words I told you when we last spoke,"**_ Sephiroth stated calmly, as he looked down at the shy brunette in his arms. _**"Do you not remember when I told you about those who share the infections of my body. They are all my vessels. Those who share Mother's memetic legacy who are all bound to me. I have many puppets, more than you can think to imagine."**_

Aeris bit her lip. She did not want to try and understand. There was something inhuman with what Sephiroth claimed he could do. "But…I don't understand, why do you talk to me through Yazoo and Kadaj. Why not come here yourself?"

Sephiroth sighed then, and embraced the brunette fondly. **_"You see little-one, this is something else I told you before. The planet attacked me on my way through the Lifestream, but I was too weak to fight it off due to what happened in the reactor at Nibelheim. I managed to reach the Sanctuary, but the planet had destroyed most of my body and soul in the process. Fortunately Mother's cells means I can heal myself in the Sanctuary, although it will take a little longer for me to become completely whole again."_**

Aeris shuddered as that nightmarish night in Nibelheim flashed through her vision. All she could remember was madness and blood. She felt emotionally ill at the thought of Vincent shooting Sephiroth down to save her. Her sickness increased as she envisioned the planet attacking Sephiroth as they believed he was a malevolent intruder in the lifestream. Aeris hated the thought of Sephiroth being harmed, as much as she hated the thought of Sephiroth harming the planet. The brunette was really at a loss of what to do, and who to rightfully follow.

'_Love or duty…Love or duty…?'_

'_If only it were so simple…'_

Aeris was feeling tearful, and her eyes widened as she felt her chin being lifted upwards. Being so close to Yazoo's form, Aeris could see all the unhealthy similarities between the gunman and the swordsman's facial features. It was as she believed Yazoo looked a lot more like Sephiroth than Kadaj did.

The brunette's thoughts were swept away as the swordsman began to speak again.

**"_Aeris, I request only one thing from you. I want you to stay alive for me. I know my puppets will guide you to the Reunion safely."_**

"_Puppets?" _Aeris voiced quietly.

The swordsman snorted. _**"Their name nor role is of no importance to me, nor to you. They will temporarily guide and guard you to me. Then we will have no use of them. You are what is important to me, not them."**_

Aeris thought back to the last time Sephiroth spoke to her through Kadaj. The memory she had of it hurt her dearly.

"…The last time you spoke, you were really horrible to me Seph. You…hurt me, and you said such awful things to me. You enjoyed being so cruel to me."

The swordsman dipped his head against the side of the brunette's neck, hiding his face from view. _**"I am sorry."**_

Aeris did not know how to respond to that. She did not expect to hear such words from Sephiroth. But then Aeris knew a simple apology could not change things between them.

"You still hurt me…"

_**"You made me angry. I felt like it was necessary to punish you accordingly."**_

Aeris was feeling some of her vigour return to her. "By scaring me? By telling me to beg for forgiveness?"

The swordsman became silent. _**"Let us not talk of such things. I only wished to see you tonight. I do not wish to arouse anger nor incite any past wars between us,"**_

Aeris did not know what to say. As always, Sephiroth had the power to make her speechless. She knew what she did next was something she should not have done, but when Sephiroth moved himself further on her bed, and pulled her down with him, Aeris knew she should have fought, or cried out at least, but she said nothing. She did nothing. She let herself be moved like a delicate little doll. She felt completely paralysed. When Sephiroth decided that he felt most comfortable with the flowergirl laying across his torso, and her head laying underneath his chin, he drew his arms around her and gave her a comforting squeeze. Aeris' body remained as rigid as a board.

_**"Relax with me."**_ Sephiroth murmured softly. _**"Rest with me. I promise we will talk soon… But tonight let us rest…"**_

Aeris felt her eyes begin to grow heavy. The brunette would not have been surprised if Sephiroth had cast some form of sleep spell on her. If he had, then Aeris was partly grateful. She knew she would not have been able to sleep in _**his**_…well… Yazoo's arms otherwise.

When Sephiroth realised the demi-Cetra had fallen into the land of nod, he smiled softly and drew gloved fingers through the brunette's soft bangs. Sephiroth could not wait for the day when he could hold Aeris with his own hands, and sleep beside her with his own body, and not some weak puppets.

_**'Speaking of puppets… Now is the time to return back to the Sanctuary…'**_

And in that instant, Sephiroth relinquished his hold on his puppet.

0o0

And after a moment, Yazoo woke up to notice the most puzzling thing.

Someone was sleeping on top of him.

A weak human woman who he cared little for…was sleeping on top of him…_without_…._his_…_**permission**_!

Yazoo was far from amused.

In fact he was downright _**enraged**_.

It was very rare for Yazoo to portray any avid feeling, other than distant aloofness and genuine disinterest. But when they seldom emerged, his emotions came out either as sadistic amusement or explosive anger.

"**_Witch_**!" Yazoo spat aloud, as he pushed the girl off his form and fled the bed. He hoped his actions had awoke her, but to his immense disappointment, the brunette remained asleep. "Manipulative, disgusting, perverted creature!" he snarled aloud. Yazoo had no idea what powers this woman had over Kadaj or Sephiroth, but he refused to be trapped in her spider's snare.

"Do not expect any kindness from me woman for there will be none. I can see through your manipulative plans unlike Kadaj. I will not be a part of your **_harem_**!"

And with those words, Yazoo fled the room.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_**Avalanche**_…

0o0o0o0o0o0

With their leader out of commission, Barret had taken the rightful duty of leading Avalanche. He commanded everyone back to their large buggy, and then tried to decide which would be the safest place to reside, so that Cloud could possibly rest. In the end, votes were taken and the quiet and humble village of Gongaga was chosen since it was the nearest location on their map. All they needed to do was travel to the south of the western continent. And that is what they did.

It was now nightfall, and each Avalanche member had taken up residence to rest in the Gongaga Inn.

Expect one…

A clawed hand drew itself up into the night air before falling back to the owner's side.

Tossing and turning, the dark haired gunman groaned and recoiled from the horrific visions in his mind. All he could see was death. All he could smell and taste was blood and sorrow. The sound of screaming children and laughing demons filled his head, along with the sound of a thousand moans calling out his name. The walls were rumbling around him. His stomach felt like it was turning itself inside out. Something was inside him. His hands scratched at his chest, trying to expel the growing pain inside his body. He clenched his teeth and tasted blood on his lips. It was his own blood.

'No.. Not now…'

It was happening again.

The craving was upon him.

Vincent threw his head back and tried to fight back an agonised cry.

Chaos was trying to awaken. And it wanted to kill.

Vincent tried to focus on his only light that could fight away his inner darkness.

"…Lucrecia…"

In his tortured mind, the gunman envisioned her face. Her beautiful innocent face was staring back at him. He wanted to bask in the glow of her beauty forever. Her vision was a prayer of a divine deity coming to save him from the internal demons that tried to lay claim to his soul and mind. To Vincent, Lucrecia was his only salvation.

"Save me…" Vincent breathed out weakly, as the cries of Chaos grew stronger in his head. The need to kill became even stronger. He clenched a hand over his palpitating heart. He was experiencing his own death once again. The agony was almost unbearable. Despite the gunman's pure thoughts of his beloved Lucrecia, no thought he could have of her could prevent him from feeling the agonies of having his heart and soul destroyed by angry demons.

"Save me…" Vincent repeated breathlessly, as he focused only on his beloved's glowing white light in his heart. He knew only his angel could save him from damnation. Her purity was all he needed to find himself again. She always gave him the strength to fight the demons that ravaged him. However, for some bizarre and unnerving reason, despite seeing the face of Lucrecia in his mind, and remembering the feel of her hair against his skin, Chaos was still crying out for release.

Lucrecia's face was beginning to waver into the dark blackness of his mind. Chaos was slowly beginning to gain control.

"Please…my love…._save_ me…" Vincent begged to his fading angel.

The light in the gunman's soul was getting weaker and weaker…

His angel was not responding to him.

"_**Please**_…"

Lucrecia's lips warped into a twisted grin. "You did not _save_ me…You _failed_ me..."

And then Lucrecia's face flashed and transfigured into a dark silver haired demon with glowing green eyes, before flickering into non-existence.

"No! D-don't leave me…"

Vincent received no answer.

"Lucrecia!?"

Silence was his only companion.

Vincent closed his eyes in painful acceptance.

His angel could no longer save him.

He was damned. His soul was completely and irrevocably damned to suffer alone for the rest of eternity in silence.

_'But…it is the least I deserve.'_

_'For all my sins…..'_

_'Lucrecia, please forgive me.'_

Vincent chuckled bitterly.

Tears pricked the corners of his blood red vision.

He just wanted the agony to end. For everything to end.

And so he gave himself away to the darkness.

Suddenly, malicious childlike laughter filled his vision, and his world became dizzy.

Dragging himself out of his room, Vincent staggered out of the Inn. He barely remembered stumbling down the stairs, and past the horrified Inn Keeper. When his body felt the cold night air outside, the gunman fell to his knees. The twilight sky glittered with a thousand stars. A chilling wind gathered around the fallen gunman, but Vincent could not feel the cold despite wearing only a thin sleeveless black shirt and dark trousers. A unhealthy red aura emanated itself around the sorrowful gunman.

Then, as the man slumbered, the beast awoke.

And with a mighty roar, Chaos lifted its mighty wings and took flight towards the heavens. The harbinger of Death was now flying on the horizon. Anyone who flew within its path made a swift and unfortunate return to the holy bowels of the planet.

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Whoa. I didn't think I would finish this chapter so quickly. Whew. I really enjoyed this one. For some strange reason I enjoy writing Yazoo's character. I think it emerges from the fact that he acts so different to Kadaj. It seems he will pose a problem for Aeris in the future….but still, poor guy. I think anyone would be shocked if they woke up to find themselves in bed with something they did not like, nor expect to see.**

**Anywho guys! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. X The more reviews I get, the more inclined I feel to update the next chapter sooner. Mwah **

**Hon Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**


	24. To Save a Frozen Ancient

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**10,204 Words**

**21 pages**

**Chapter 24**

**To Save a Frozen Ancient**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Hey guys, I'm really glad that a lot of you enjoyed the last chapter. I bet most of you were happy to see a moment with Aer and Seph together. Poor Aeris, Sephiroth can really turn her into an emotional nutcase without even trying. Lol. Ah, and as for Yazoo's character, there is something…so evilly enigmatic about him. I think he is a quite refreshing addition to the plot, and he serves as a good foil to Kadaj's cutesy-evil nature. I assure you readers that Yazoo will be dominating a lot of this chapter, so you guys can judge and tell me at the end whether you like my unusual characterisation of him or not. lol x**

**As for my musical muse today….**

**Like last chapter its FF7ACC.**

**And…**

**Dorian Gray! I saw the film the other day, and I must admit I wasn't overly keen on it, despite the film featuring all the things I usually like. I would describe it as a decadent Victorian horror with too much sex. You quite literally see the Prince Caspian kid kissing other men and doing strange things with them and well...lets leave it at that Lol! Any-who, the music in the film, on the other hand is brilliant. There is a song called 'Catch the Falling Sky' that I highly recommend. Look it up on youtube. Somehow the song oozes with raw sexual power. Haha, whenever I listen to it, for some absurd reason, it sounds like a sexy version of a FF7 Turk's theme. The vision of Vincent Valentine strutting his stuff pops into my head haha x I guess the Dorian Gray theme would fit with Sephykins character too lol x**

**Anywho, enough of my random ramblings and on with the fic!**

0o0o0o0o0o0

Kadaj cursed and spat like an angry wet kitten, as he tromped through the thick, cold snow. As it had reached a time beyond twilight, the sky was very dark and unfortunately the town seemed to be severely lacking in decent light equipment. Not that such a matter inconvenienced a young teen like Kadaj. The warrior's glowing mako eyes could adjust to any kind of darkness with little difficulty. Kadaj sneaked between the buildings using the inky colours of the night to submerge his body from sight. All the while, his warrior gaze flickered from left to right for the right prize to steal. Kadaj knew he was not being intentionally picky. He just wanted any form of transport that could occupy two people, for example a snow bike, a winter chocobo, hell, anything that would aid his journey across the Great Glacier. But to the teen's mounting irritation and immense disappointment, Kadaj could not even find one single chocobo worthy of stealing. The snowed in town was void of any reliable transport! Kadaj had no idea how the village managed to survive with no decent vehicles to get them from point A to B.

"Such backwards people," Kadaj growled to himself, as he saw yet another closed snowboarding store. "Don't tell me that snowboards are the only way of travelling across this damn ice. Where the hell did Yazoo even find that bike of his?"

The teen paused at his last thought. "Grrr Stupid! I'm sure Yazoo had it crafted in the Sanctuary, and brought it up to the surface."

The teen sighed in mounting irritation. Kadaj was beginning to get angrier and angrier, and the more he trudged through the snow, the more he realised that Yazoo's plan was the only possible plan for them all. With no other decent form of transport to the Reunion other than his Brother's motorcycle, there seemed there was no other way around it. Whether he liked it or not, Yazoo would be biking with Aeris and he would be snowboarding the remainder of the way to the Reunion.

"Damnit!" The teen punched a nearby unlit lamppost, leaving a fist sized dent behind.

Kadaj realised he had no choice now. As always, Yazoo's impeccable planning conquered his. It was so infuriating! What made Kadaj even angrier was how his Mother would be travelling alone with Yazoo for nearly an entire day! The teen's blood boiled with brewing envy.

"It is so not fair!" Kadaj whined, as he kicked a large piece of snow up in the air. "I will be all by myself tomorrow, while Yazoo gets to hog Mother all day." The teen sneered. He almost wished he did not meet up with Yazoo, and then he would still have his Mother all to himself again. In truth, Kadaj simply did not want to share her. Least of all with someone like his elder brother. Yazoo did not deserve to bask in the glory of her divine presence. His Mother deserved a much better protector. Someone who only cared for her welfare 24-7. Someone who was ready to lay down their own life for her. Someone who thought about her non-stop. Someone who had experience looking after her. Someone….well….someone like him.

"Grrrr," the teen growled. It seemed that tonight, he was not going to get his own way. That being so, Kadaj wanted to rush back to his Mother's side since he knew he would not be seeing her for the rest of tomorrow. Even if it was to only watch her sleep, Kadaj wanted to be by her side, protecting her always.

0o0o0

When Kadaj returned to their current resting location, he swung the door open and deliberately ignored Yazoo who was currently sitting on a sofa, and trudged upstairs to the bedroom. When the tenn saw his Mother resting peacefully on the farthest bed in the room, his ire relaxed, and the his mako tainted eyes softened with genuine warmth. Seating himself on a bed nearest the slumbering flowergirl, Kadaj was happy to watch Aeris right till the early morning. And that is exactly what Kadaj did. As the hours ticked by, the teen observed his Mother's steady breathing. At times he wondered what she could have been dreaming about. By the expression on her face, it seemed like they were all happy dreams. Whatever they were, Kadaj hoped he played a role in them, even if it was only a small one. He knew nothing would make him happier than to know that his Mother's dreamt of him. The teen knew that if he was to fall asleep now, his pretty Mother would be the only thing on his mind. All too soon, Kadaj was awoken from his dreamy reverie by light footsteps creeping up the stairs. The teen turned his head towards the landing. It was Yazoo.

"It is time Brother. Wake her up. I will be waiting outside." And with those words, the elder brother turned and went back downstairs, almost as silently as he came. Kadaj blinked. Yazoo seemed to be acting much more stranger and antisocial than usual.

"Ah, who cares," Kadaj thought to himself, as he rose from the bed and made his way to his beloved Mother's bedside. Seeing her so still, with her gentle head on her pillow and her lashes resting so softly against her cheek, made the teen's hands clam a little with hesitation. Kadaj really did not want to wake his Mother up when she looked so very peaceful. In truth, Kadaj loved the thought of thwarting his brother's plans, even if that meant only sabotaging the time they left Icicle Inn. He knew that leaving later than planned would rile Yazoo up intensely, being such a perfectionist that he was. The teen silently chuckled. Kadaj did not like the thought of Yazoo getting his own way when he was not allowed to! Positioning himself on his Mother's bed, Kadaj moved a dark gloved hand across his Mother's shoulder, but refrained from waking her. He just enjoyed the comfort of being in her divine presence. Kadaj knew that when his Mother was around, he felt completely at peace with himself. There was something about her. Something about her that made him feel whole. Kadaj knew that being with Mother was the only thing in life that could make him truly happy. Everything else was immaterial.

Kadaj simply ogled the brunette, loving the connection that he had with her. The teen knew that deep down, no matter what happened, or where he went in the future, there was one undeniable truth. He would always be there for his Mother, in one way or the other. If she ever called out for him, he would come running. He loved her like no son ever would, and someday, Kadaj wanted to show her how much he truly loved her. Kadaj promised himself that he would build her a house, and fill it with all the silly flowers that she so adored. He would cook and clean for her everyday and give her anything she desired.

"_**Kadaj!"**_

The teen jumped at the sound of his brother's voice from downstairs. It seemed he was really trying Yazoo's patience. The young teen sighed sadly to himself. The time for stalling had long since passed. He needed to wake his Mother up now.

"Mother," Kadaj whispered softly, as he used his hand to gently nudge the flowergirl's shoulder. "Wakey, wakey, wakey."

The brunette kept on slumbering. It seemed she had not heard him.

The teen sighed, "Mother, it's time to get up now," Kadaj cooed. He really did not want to shake his Mother awake. Only a cruel son would do such a thing. Fortunately this time though, the brunette seemed to have heard his voice.

"Mmm _Seph_?" the brunette murmured without opening her eyes. "Give me five more minutes, im still sleepy."

Kadaj froze.

And his gloved hand slipped off the flower girl's shoulder.

The teen sighed. He knew this was not the first time that his Mother had called him by _**His **_name. Deep down he knew he should have felt privileged to be compared to the Unprecedented One. The one who was Power Incarnate. But Kadaj wasn't. In fact he was very upset. He wanted his Mother to see him and not Sephiroth! He wanted to be his Mother's favourite! He wanted to be the only person that Aeris thought of and needed when she awoke. Not Sephiroth. Only Him and no-one else! Kadaj really hoped that someday the brunette would think of him like she thought of Sephiroth. That's what he wanted, more than anything.

Kadaj sighed again. His Mother had spoken, but she still had not yet awoken from her deep slumber, and he knew he was responsible for his Mother's awakening. "Mother, it's Kadaj. You need to wake up. Yazoo is waiting for us outside."

Somehow hearing the name Yazoo, awoke the brunette from her recent slumber. Aeris rubbed her eyes wearily and continued to look at the ceiling. "Yazoo? W-what?"

The pale haired teen tried to hide his jealousy. His Mother had only seen his brother once and already she was more unconsciously aware of him that he, Kadaj! That thought alone, made him very unhappy indeed. But Kadaj knew it would not be wise to vocalise his unhappiness to her.

"It's Kadaj Mother! I'm sorry to awake you so early, but we have many miles to travel today,"

"Oh," Aeris said slowly, as she awoke from the last vestiges of sleep. She turned her gaze where Kadaj was seated. "When are we leaving?"

"Now. Well, when you are ready of course," Kadaj replied, as he watched the brunette's eyes widen, before hastily rolling off the bed. Her face visibly cringed when her pale feet touched the icy floorboards, waking up her mind quicker than a physical slap to the face. Kadaj seemed not to be affected by the cold temperature in the Icicle Inn, but unlike Kadaj, at 4am in the morning, Aeris was seriously feeling it. She brought her arms around herself. Despite the curtains being closed, the brunette assumed it was still dark outside. She sighed to herself, knowing that she had little time to get ready and knowing she must have looked a mess. She eyed the direction of the bathroom. A hot bath seemed like a wonderful idea. She needed a temporary moment of bliss if she was going to brave the dark and artic cold outside.

Aeris then told the teen of her indulgent intentions.

"Oh! You want a bath?! Okay then!" Kadaj agreed merrily. He could never say no to his Mother for anything. The teen was still more than aware that they were meant to be running on a tight schedule, but he could dash Yazoo's plans to the winds, if only to make his Mother happy. "If you wish it of me Mother, would you like me to prepare you something to eat downstairs? Is there anything specific you fancy?"

Aeris made her way to the bathroom. Her teeth were chattering the entire way. "Whatever is easiest for you Kadaj, preferably something hot." Aeris said softly.

"Okay," The teen consented with a happy bob of his head. "Well, if you need anything from me Mother, just call for me and I will be there,"

And with that Kadaj left Aeris so she could get washed and ready for their long, cold journey beyond the frozen snow fields.

0o0o0

When Aeris eventually appeared down the stairs, she seemed less like the dishevelled mess that had just woken up thirty minutes ago. She was wearing a large brown blanket over her pink dress like a cloak. On her feet were her infamous green bulky boots she received from the Chocobo Sage. Her hair was neatly scraped back into a tidy plait with her customary pink ribbon and her Mother's heirloom. At the sight of her, Kadaj felt his heart throb fondly. His Mother was so beautiful. He thought that everyday since he had met her, but today she was looking positively radiant. In truth, Aeris was truly everything Kadaj had ever wanted. Kadaj immediately thrust a drinking container of soup into the brunette's colds hands when she reached him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you Kadaj," The brunette said sweetly, as she cradled the steaming cup between her fingers. Aeris was very aware of the cold that was creeping into her bones after her hot bath. At this moment in time, Aeris appreciated any form of warmth no matter how small. She sipped a little and her eyes widened softly with delight. "Wow. This is nice."

The teen grinned broadly, as he knew his Mother was happy with his drink. He then proceeded to tell the flowergirl of his Brother's intentions for the day. "Yazoo has planned for us all to reach the base of the summit tonight. The journey across the Great Glacier will be long, and truthfully it will take a long time to traverse. Fortunately, Yazoo has a ride that you can share with him, so you can get to the base of the summit rather quickly. Unfortunately for me, my method of transportation means I will be a good few hours behind you."

Aeris blinked. "A ride? Share with Yazoo?"

The teen gestured to the at window at the front of the house. "Look outside."

Aeris complied. She then balked as she saw the size of the violent looking motorcycle gleaming proudly in the snow. Her green eyed gaze then turned towards the pale haired male seated on the behemoth black bike. The figure was wrapped in a long black cloak, and his face was half covered by a hood. Aeris was more than aware that it was Yazoo since his silver long hair was peaking out from the front of his hood. Seeing the pale haired warrior dressed in such a way caused the brunette to suddenly lurch backwards in surprise. She was suddenly assaulted with a mental image of a hunched cloaked figure that scared her outside the Shinra Mansion. Now that was a memory she would have preferred to have forgotten.

"You mean I will be riding on that? With Yazoo?"

Aeris locked eyes with Yazoo. His face turned away from her the moment he realised she was staring at him.

"Yes Mother," Kadaj remarked softly, trying his best not to alert his Mother to his inner jealousy. Inside Kadaj was still silently seething, but there was nothing he could do about it now. "Are you sure you are ready to leave Mother?"

The flowergirl nodded and handed the empty cup back to Kadaj. Kadaj dismissed it on a nearby coffee table. The cup was taken from the kitchen of the house, and he really could not be bothered to wash it.

"Well lets go!" Kadaj exclaimed.

The brunette nodded gladly. "Yes, lets."

0o0o0

"A blizzard is approaching from the west," Yazoo stated drolly, as the pair emerged from the house, and walked towards him on the driveway. The elder brother gave the brunette a single glance before focussing on Kadaj. "Are you sure she is dressed for the weather?"

Kadaj glanced at her Mother. He was a little doubtful. Although Kadaj knew that unless he broke into someone's house and raided their wardrobes, he did not know where they could find his Mother suitable clothing at nearly 5am. There was nothing in the house they stayed at. All the shops were still closed and would remain closed for a good few more hours.

Aeris rubbed her chilly hands against her chest. By Gods she was freezing! She knew she was going to get frostbite sooner or later. If only she had a pair of gloves. Kadaj watched his Mother's actions. As if he had read her thoughts, the teen had discarded his leather ones, and handed them to her without a word. Aeris blinked and looked at the pale haired teen.

"Oh Kadaj, I could not take these off you. If I wore your gloves then what would you wear?" Aeris voiced softly as she refused to take the offered item from the teen's pale fingers.

The teen shook his head. "Take them Mother. I don't need them."

"But that would mean you would get frostbite and not me."

Kadaj shrugged.

"I'd take my chances. Please Mother, take them."

"But you shouldn't get frostbite because of me."

Yazoo all the while watched the interplay between the pair with bored eyes.

"Kadaj just put those gloves on her and get this over and done with," Yazoo remarked with a careless sigh. They had already wasted enough time due to the brunette's morning showering requirements. The sun was rising on the crisp, white horizon. They were almost an hour over schedule. Yazoo was far from happy but he refused to vocalise it aloud.

Aeris whipped her head at the cold faced gunman. This gave Kadaj ample time to do as his elder brother had asked. When Aeris turned back around, the brunette was shocked that the teen had managed to put his gloves on her in less than three seconds. Aeris was about to take them off to hand back to the teen, but Kadaj caught her hands in his before she had the opportunity to try. "No Mother. This is my gift to you. I want you to have them."

Aeris still felt unconvinced. She felt even more so when she eyed the teen's long icy white fingers encased over her own.

"A gift?" Aeris said dryly. "But its not my birthday today."

The teen chuckled. His Mother was so silly at times. "Then see this as a gift for all the birthdays I have missed. I have a lot of catching up to do."

Aeris shook her head and cracked a sweet smile at the teen. Kadaj was far too adorable for his own good. However the brunette could admit that some days, the teen's saccharine sweet words were almost too repulsive to bear, but then on other days he managed to say just the right thing to make her happy without being overly tacky. Fortunately Kadaj was having a less tacky day.

And Aeris had to admit that wearing his gloves made her hands so much warmer.

'_And I guess another plus of wearing these gloves means that she did not have to look at the ugly Hojo mark on her hand. Ugh.'_

"Thank you Kadaj," Aeris said sweetly, causing the teen to blush to his silver roots. "

The teen bowed low. "Y-your welcome Mother." Even now Kadaj was a little uncomfortable whenever his Mother thanked him. He felt truly humbled.

A harsh grunt from Yazoo awoke the teen from his internal thoughts. _'Ah fuck off Yazoo. I won't be with Mother today because of you. Let me have this final moment with her in peace.'_ Kadaj thought, ignoring his elder brother.

"Mother let me help you on the bike," Kadaj offered sweetly. And before Aeris could move her lips, the teen's fingers gripped her waist and she was plucked off the ground and onto the back of the monstrous vehicle. The teen's hands hesitantly held the brunette for a few seconds longer than was necessary before drawing away. He really did not want to leave her side. Not even for one moment. Oh, Kadaj, really, really hated Yazoo right now as he stared at the pretty brunette perched on his brother's bike. Kadaj knew the older male did not deserve to travel with his dearly beloved Mother. It was just so not fair. "I wish you save travels Mother. See you tomorrow."

'Finally.' Yazoo mentally sighed to himself. He did not even bother to see if the flowergirl was seated correctly. The gunman planned to drive much faster to see if he could still reach the summit before sunset as he previously intended. Yazoo switched the engine on, and revved the machine. He was planning to drive at full throttle.

And then they were off!

Aeris screeched with surprise, and threw her arms around the gunman's waist, fearing for her life. She had never rode on a motorbike before. Nor had she travelled so insanely fast. She felt like she was on a rollercoaster and she wanted to get off the ride right now. She was not expecting the way her body tilted dangerously to the ground each time they swerved to the left or the right. It was nauseating. She did not like the experience at all. Snow splattered in her face and she wished she had some form of facial protection. She did not want to think what would happen if she was to let go of Yazoo's body. She knew that if she fell off the bike, she would not survive the landing.

Her head leant towards the cloaked gunman. She shut her eyes and tried to mentally block out the cold, and the uncomforting presence of the man seated in front of her to no avail.

0o0o0o0

_Time always went stupidly slow when you are unhappy._

Yazoo mentally sighed to himself, as he drove across the icy cliffs. He could feel the grasp of the wretched woman behind him. A morally twisted part of him wished he could kick her off his bike and leave her behind in his icy dust. Deep down, the pale haired male really could not understand how and even why a silly little female weakling could hold any significance to someone such as the Great Sephiroth. Yazoo did not know what this puny little girl could evem do to contribute to the Reunion. To him, Aeris seemed completely inane and useless. She truly disgusted him. He hated his own surprise when he woke up to see her laying on top of him, as if she was some devilish succubus ready to feast on his soul. It was disgusting how she could sneakily attempt to seduce him in such a way without him even realising it! Yazoo knew he felt no allure to her at all. He never would. He promised himself that. However what irritated him was the fact that this same weak, useless girl currently had her pathetic little arms wrapped around his waist. Despicable...

Yazoo smirked from beneath his cloak when he used his bike to jump from one outcropping of rock to another, hearing the brunette release a startled shriek from behind him. The gunman's pale lips twitched softly. If the girl was unfortunate enough to ride with him, he was not going to make the experience she had with him enjoyable. So with that thought in mind, Yazoo swerved and dashed against the ice, as if he was being assaulted by an array of invisible enemies. He leapt over snow and swept across the icy terrain. The snow had became his playground, and the warrior tried to keep himself from chuckling aloud. Yazoo did not want the flowergirl to be aware, that his amusement came at her own expense. However, deep down, Yazoo always knew that he was a secret thrill seeker. He always loved the feeling of the rushing wind against his face. He loved hearing the violent rev of an engine and the adrenaline rush that filled him as he flew to new dangerous heights. Yazoo knew that _danger_ was what the one thing he truly lived for. He loved the breathless anticipation of greeting death in the face, and happily raising his middle finger back at it in defiance. Yazoo knew he could always outsmart death. He was just too stealthful. Far too quick witted and knowledgeable.

Yazoo's eyes widened in growing excitement as he saw a potentially large drop coming quickly towards him. He put his foot on the pedal and pushed the bike forward for all it was worth. He knew he could make the jump. It was stupidly far away from the other rock face, but Yazoo was going to aim for it. He knew he could get to the other side. The blanket covered figure squished at his back squealed with fear at the sudden acceleration in speed. She was too afraid to see what was in front of her. She knew whatever she saw, would make her go crazy with fear.

"S-S-low down!" Aeris cried into Yazoo's mantle. The roaring of the wind was the only thing the gunman was listening to. She tried to peak over the warrior's side, and when she did so, she immediately regretted it! They were heading straight towards the edge of a cliff!

"W-what are you doing!?"

This time, Yazoo heard her crazed voice over the whistling wind and roaring engine of his bike. He chuckled with mounting amusement. He was at full throttle now. He was going to make this jump.

"Hold on tight girl, _**Or. You. Will. Die."**_

They were the first words that Yazoo had spoken to the brunette, and knowing what Yazoo was about to do, Aeris was very quick to comply.

The gunman cackled with glee as the black bike flew across the air. Aeris screamed but it served to heighten the gunman's elation. It was moments like these that Yazoo lived for. He relentlessly sought the thrill that life could offer him. He wanted to break the inanity of the mundane. He wanted to stand on the pinnacle of death and truly laugh in its face. The gunman's face was lashed with pure delight when the bike landed with two rough bounces on a thin icy platform, He then proceeded horizontally across the icy cliff..

Aeris was now quivering in fright. Her grip on the platinum haired gunman was like steel. She refused to let go of the silver haired gunman. She knew that if she did…death would await her.

She screeched in terror as Yazoo drove them vertically up the side of another cliff.

And then as they reached another rocky cliff face, and Yazoo suddenly had the ridiculous impulse to make another insanely long jump across the air like before…..and then he did it again….and _again_…and _again_… and _**again**_…!

Aeris knew she was crying when the bike eventually drew to a stop on the ice. They were in the heart of the blizzard now, but they had finally reached Yazoo's destination. The cave was in both of their sights, but the brunette was past caring about such things now. "Y-y-you…you ba-bas.." Aeris did not even have the mental ability to construct an entire sentence, let alone utter a horrid profanity, as she dropped her arms from the gunman as if touching him burned her very soul. "…Y-y-you _**m-m-maniac**_!" she wept, as she flopped herself off the bike and onto the snowy grounds.

Aeris made one step…then another…before collapsing sluggishly in the snow. "G-G-Godssss." She breathed. Her entire body had became numb from sitting in the same position for hours and the heavy snowstorm had not helped mattered either. The flowergirl could barely see what was in front of her. She also felt violently ill and dizzy beyond belief. When Yazoo made the first jump, she thought it was going to kill her. Then after the second jump, and the third…and the ninth and tenth and _**fifteenth,**_ Aeris thought about how her riding partner was a sick sadist and was secretly hoping she'd fall to prevent him from killing her himself.

'_And here I thought Sephiroth said that Yazoo and Kadaj were meant to guide and protect me to the Reunion. Okay Kadaj has been doing that quite well …but I think Yazoo really wants to kill me instead.'_

"I'm a _maniac_?" Yazoo chuckled, at the brunette's words. "Apparently so," he remarked nonchalantly. Her brash insult had not phased him at all. In fact he was a little amused at the brunette's behaviour. He knew he would be watching her interesting actions in the future. As much as he did not like her, that did not mean Yazoo could not find amusement in exploiting the flowergirl's weak human limitations.

It seemed Aeris was not going to get up any time soon, despite the heavy blizzard surrounding them.

"Get up," Yazoo commanded calmly. But the flowergirl did not move. Aeris could not rise, even if she wanted to. She was just so happy to feel solid ground after being an unwilling passenger that made death defying roller-coasters at the Gold Saucer seem like mere child's play. If that was the regular experience of riding a motorcycle, Aeris was more than sure that she did not want to go on another one ever again. Every moment she sat on Yazoo's bike, she thought she was going to die!

Aeris shivered and shook her head. "I I…c-c-cannot. I-I feel d-d-d-izzy and c-c-old." Aeris murmured. "G-g-give me a f-f-f-ew minutes and I-I-I w-w-will be o-okay,"

"A few minutes is too long." Yazoo stated indifferently, as he leapt off his bike and pushed it against the side of the cliff. Yazoo knew that now he had reached the cave, he had no more use for the vehicle. When he left the Sanctuary the first time, Yazoo used the bike to scale down the mountain with no problem. However the platinum haired gunman was more than aware that it would be perilous to scale up with such a weak female clinging behind him. He was more than sure that she would fall off before he had reached an 1/8th of the cliff. Yazoo's mako tainted eyes turned towards the dark crack at the base of the cliff. "Girl, a gale is heading towards us. If you raise you head and look in front of you, you will see a cave. That is where we are both headed so you need to get up now."

Yazoo truly had no kindness in his soul. That thought increased even more when Aeris felt herself being pulled up non too gently by the pale haired gunman.

"Now walk," Yazoo instructed blandly. When Aeris did not move, the gunman rolled his eyes. "Its not difficult. Just put one foot in front of the other like this."

Aeris shuddered. "W-whhy are you being so unkind to me? Have I done something to offend you?" Aeris cried out above the icy winds of the snowstorm.

Yazoo blinked. "Offend me?" The warrior's thoughts traced back to last night where he awoke to the unexpected surprise of finding a certain weak flowergirl laying on top of him. The gunman shook his head to dismiss the thought. The gunman was feeling uncharacteristically impatient, and so Yazoo used a hand to roughly push the flowergirl forward. His first push nearly caused the brunette to nearly lurch over in surprise.

"Hey! Now that was uncalled for!" Aeris exclaimed over the roar of the snowstorm. The pale male was really getting on her nerves. "Consider it payback," Yazoo replied cruelly, as he thought back to last night before pushing her forwards again. That woman laying on him was the last thing he wanted on his mind. "Now stop talking and walk."

The flowergirl did not need to be pushed a third time. And with daggers in her eyes, Aeris wearily walked through the blizzard towards the tiny crack at the base of the cliff.

"This cave seems so tiny," Aeris choked aloud, as she realised she had to bend down to get inside. When she crawled inside, she realised that the dark cave was much smaller than she realised. And when Yazoo crawled in behind her, the brunette really had no idea where she could put her legs. It seemed that no matter where she moved, one of her limbs would be crossed over the other males. The space was ridiculously small not to mention insanely cold. Aeris had no idea how she would manage to stay warm. There didn't seem to be any room to start a fire unless she created one in her lap. Aeris could see the gales blowing cruelly outside of their cave. It seemed they had both entered the cave just in time. However Aeris knew she was completely frozen to the bone. Her body felt like one lump of ice. She looked over to Yazoo who was seated at the entrance of the cave, blocking most of the gale winds that tried to howl their way inside the tiny cavern. The gunman had drew his knees to his chest, and his cloak hung now around his long, lean form, encompassing most of his features from view. Aeris knew that Yazoo looked rather uncomfortable, and the brunette would have almost felt sympathetic for him, if he wasn't such a…insanely bitter, cold hearted and very wickedly cruel travelling companion.

"I'm cold," Aeris murmured, watching as cool wisps of air escaped her frozen lips. "It's so dark too. I don't like this place at all." Yazoo rolled his eyes and did not answer her. Instead he withdrew a piece of blue materia from his inventory and placed it in his lap. He tapped it once and the crystallised mako resonated with a pale tinge of light, vaguely illuminating the cave so that Aeris could barely see the cold features of her companion beside her and nothing else. Aeris sighed to herself. The flowergirl really did not like the silence that had now settled between them. It was a silence which blanketed the air for hours. Aeris shuddered. The silence was driving her insane. To make matters worse, it was stupidly cold. She did not think she would be able to last the night. She constantly rubbed her hands together. She could not feel her fingers, nor her toes. She could feel no sensation in them. Aeris had a sudden fearful thought that she may die out in the cold. She then thought back to the early morning, when Yazoo mentioned about her clothes. Aeris only realised now that her clothes were far from suitable for the stupidly cold weather she was facing. Her temperature was dropping insanely fast. She knew it wouldn't be long till her temperature dropped below what was required for her normal metabolism. She was shivering strongly, but Yazoo did not seem to care. She knew that if she complained, Yazoo did not seem the type to be sympathetic. What Aeris hated even more was how Yazoo seemed completely unaffected by the cold or the darkness of their surroundings. Despite the pale materia in his lap, it did not emit enough light to see anything clearly. Aeris could not even see whether Yazoo was shivering like she was.

*Ring Ring*

Aeris jumped at the sudden sound, and watched as the pale haired gunman gracefully removed a ringing mobile from his pocket. He then flicked it open and held it to his ear. His eyes intentionally looked at a wall above the flowergirl's head.

"Where are you now?" Yazoo drawled into the receiver.

He paused and nodded.

"I see. I will light a flare in approximately three hours. You will follow the light you see to the North."

The gunman paused in his conversation to momentarily flicker his mako eyes towards the brunette crunched up opposite him.

"Yes Kadaj. She is fine."

Hearing those words caused something to snap in the brunette's mental psyche. "I'm anything but _**fine**_!" Aeris exclaimed. With unbelievable speed, Aeris lunged across the pale hair warrior, catching him by surprise to swipe his PHS off him.

"Kadaj! **Save** me from Yazoo! He's already tried to **kill** me and-" Aeris cried into the receiver.

Yazoo calmly plucked the phone away from the hysterical girl with little effort.

"See, like I told you, you heard her yourself, she is alive and safe," Yazoo drawled, his lips almost curling upwards in amusement, as the brunette's fiercely glowered at him. "So see you in a few hours little Brother,"

The phone went click and then there was silence.

Aeris glared stonily at the pale faced male, as he put his mobile back into his pocket. It seemed no matter what cold expression she sent the gunman's way, none of her glowering looks seemed to affect him. Aeris silently huffed to herself. She had never met someone as horrible as Yazoo before. He did not call her by her name. He made her experience a bike ride from hell, and now she was seated opposite him now, he was intentionally pretending that she did not exist. Aeris really could not wait when Kadaj returned to her side. Although the brunette had no idea where Kadaj could stay, since the cave was cramped enough with only two people inside. She did not think another body could fit in there.

'_Unless Kadaj lays ontop of me and Yazoo..'_

That thought of Kadaj in her lap didn't seem to bother her as much as the thought of staying alone with only Yazoo to keep her company did. At least Kadaj was always kind and well mannered with her. Aeris hated every moment staying inside the cave with Yazoo. He was just so unsociable.

Another hour passed.

No more words were spoken.

And the air was getting much, much colder…

Aeris had no idea how long she had been waiting inside the icy cold cave. Her hands were becoming dangerously numb. It was getting difficult to even move her fingers now. Her breaths were coming out as quick and shallow gasps. Aeris was feeling rather sick and drained both physically and emotionally. Yazoo glanced at the brunette for the moment as if assessing the flowergirl's welfare, before lightly smirking to himself. Aeris knew what the gunman was thinking. '_Weak_.' If Aeris had the strength to lean over and slap the warrior's face, she would have done so in a heartbeat. 'Bastard.' Aeris mouthed weakly, causing the gunman's lips to twitch into the beginnings of a cruel smile.

Another hour passed.

Her vision was getting blurry. She was aware of the sitting black smudge in front of her being Yazoo, but she could mostly see white around her. Her uncontrollable shivers were becoming all the more violent. Aeris knew this was certainly not a good thing. The brunette's features were now an unhealthy pale hue in the darkness, expect her lips which had taken a rather ugly blue tinge.

Another hour passed.

Aeris knew she was going to die. It was just too cold! Her body was shutting down. She knew all along that Yazoo was trying to kill her. Now she finally had the proof. It was dangerously cold and with no fire to keep her warm, Aeris' body temperature was dropping dangerously low that she had now lost the ability to even shiver. Her bleary eyes looked at the dark blobbed form in front of her. She could not even remember who it was, or why she was even cold anymore. All cohesive thought left her consciousness. The frozen brunette tried to move her lips to speak to the dark blobbed form, but her entire vocal processes were shutting themselves down. The brunette's skin that was exposed to the chilling air beyond her blanket was becoming blue and puffy. Aeris had now lost the ability to think. Her heart was palpitating. It was the only violently active organ in her body that was desperately trying to cling to life.

Aeris was unaware when another dark blur crept into the cave. Her vision had dwindled away into a icy white memory. Her body had given up on the real world. All she could focus on now was survival.

0o0o0o0

When the snow drabbled form came inside the stupidly small cave, the teen immediately leapt onto his Mother in delight.

"MOTHER!"

Kadaj recoiled back instantly when he realised something most terrorfying. His mako eyes were stretched wide open in horror. His beloved Mother looked like death frozen over. One look at her blue skin sent the teen into a uncontrollable rage.

"YAZOO!" Kadaj howled, as he glared violent daggers at the calm faced male at his side. "MOTHER IS COMPLETELY FROZEN! WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN TAKING GOOD CARE OF HER?!?! WHY?!?!"

Yazoo blinked. But before he could open he mouth to make a cutting remark, Yazoo's face was violently thrown to the side by a well aimed punch to his left cheek, followed by a swift uppercut to the other side of his face.

"YOU BASTARD!! WHY HAVEN'T YOU PROTECTED MOTHER! TELL ME NOW!" Kadaj was in hysterics now. Tears were pooling down the corners of his eyes. "SEPHIROTH WILL KILL US BOTH IF MOTHER DIES!! NO! I WILL KILL YOU FIRST BEFORE SEPHIROTH GETS THE CHANCE TO!!"

The calm of Yazoo's composure seemed to crack at the mention of Sephiroth's name. Perhaps he should have been a little more considerate to the weak brunette's welfare.

"Calm yourself Kadaj. The girl is not dead. She is just cold." Yazoo remarked boorishly.

"Just cold!? YOU FUCKING BASTARD! SHE'S NOT JUST COLD! SHE'S AT FUCKING DEATH'S DOOR!" Kadaj was ready to throttle his older brother. But he knew he had to tend to his Mother first before he attempted to kill Yazoo. "We need to increase her body temperature! Mother! Mother please, tell me if you can hear me? Can you speak? Kadaj is here to save you!"

Aeris did not respond. Kadaj's thoughts were getting even more scattered. The teen did not know what to do first, to kill his brother for not keeping his Mother safe, or to kill himself for even believing that Yazoo could look after the brunette.

The young teen looked inside his inventory bag. He brought out all of his own materia to increase the light in the cave. "Warm things. Hot things. What will increase Mother's temperature?! Fire materia?!"

Yazoo watched silently as Kadaj began to hyperventilate. The gunman shook his head. His younger brother really had no sense at times. Yazoo sighed wearily. It seemed everything was down to him. As much as he did not care for the girl, Kadaj was right. If she did not survive, Sephiroth would surely have his head. Yazoo knew exactly what he needed to do in order to save the frozen female. He sighed with genuine indignation.

'……..'

And in the dimly lit cave, the pale haired gunman began untying his robes, unzipping his leather suit and shedding his dark clothes to the ground. When his younger brother saw what the older male was doing, he almost lost the remaining threads of his sanity.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING NOW YOU RETARD?" Kadaj yelled between his fit of tears, as he watched his brother strip before his very eyes. If Kadaj didn't believe it before, now he knew, without a doubt. Yazoo had truly lost his mind. His Mother was frozen solid, Yazoo was getting himself naked and all Kadaj could think to do was sob like a pathetic child. He really had no idea what to do. He had not been prepared for all this insanity. His Mother needed his help. And he was a terrible son for allowing her to suffer like this. The tiny cave was too small to do anything. Kadaj was desperately panicking now. His tearful eyes met his Brother's stern cold ones.

Half naked now, Yazoo sent a frigid glare in the teen's direction. "Kadaj, If you want this woman to live, then do as I do,"

The teen's eyes bulged in surprise. "NO! FUCK OFF!" The teen exclaimed. Kadaj could only think to swear at the cruelty that was his brother. He was so angry and upset with him. And Kadaj knew that his brother had completely lost it. Why would he need to take his clothes off?! Just because the cold wouldn't kill him, that didn't mean Kadaj was willing to strip off just for the sake of it. He wasn't an idiot.

Yazoo ignored his younger brother exclamations and instead focussed on the problem at hand. "Fine then. Do as you wish. Just give me your tripod, a fire materia and expendable flammables for burning." It was a command, not a request. "I will need you to seal this cave entrance with snow, but leave a small hole for the smoke to go through."

"WHY?!" Kadaj exclaimed. Nothing what Yazoo was doing or saying was making any sense.

Yazoo was very slowly losing patience. "Fine. Make the fire yourself but close the cave. Fix the tripod over there and create a fire, we are losing time, that is if you still want to save her."

"Save Mother?" Now things were starting to make a little more sense. Kadaj didn't need to be told twice. He looked inside his inventory and did what he was asked. When he had finished both jobs, Kadaj turned around and nearly screamed out in alarm. Yazoo was UNDRESSING MOTHER!

"YOU SICK SON OF A- GET OFF HER!" Kadaj screamed, ready to whack his brother away. But Yazoo shoved him to the side of the cave, nearly onto the fire he had just created. "Fool, this is necessary."

The young teen was completely horrified. Was he the only one to see reason beyond the madness? "What are you doing?! Mother is COLD!! Undressing her will obviously make her MORE COLD you moron!"

Yazoo had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from making any more scathing remarks towards his little brother. Instead Yazoo focussed on stripping the brunette of the rest of her frozen garbs. When the brunette's naked body were brought to his visible attention, the gunman had the courtesy to look mildly shocked at the unhealthy blue tones of colour which covering the brunette's feet and hands. Now he truly was aware of the necessity of his next actions and Yazoo knew it was necessary to get his younger brother to understand it too.

"Kadaj, this is necessary. This is the _only_ way to save her," the elder brother stated, as he used his discarded dark robe as a blanket to cushion himself from the coldness of the ground and cave wall. He then positioned the frozen flowergirl towards the heat of his now naked body. Kadaj all the while remained goggle eyed, unable to move when Yazoo used his large hands to rub the brunette's body. He started from her fingers, and moved up to her arms, before making his way down her torso. Kadaj flushed. He vaguely knew what Yazoo was doing, was for his Mother's welfare, but still… it all seemed so VERY, VERY, VERY WRONG! Yazoo was seeing parts of his Mother that were completely forbidden! He Kadaj, was seeing parts of Mother that were completely forbidden! The teen was trembling badly now, and it was not from the cold! He did not know what to do. All he could do was watch his brother as he manhandled his Mother in a way that was so sacrilegious. So very wrong..

'…_but this is necessary….it is the only way to save her.'_

'…_But I don't like Yazoo touching her like that.'_

The young teen's pale lips trembled.

'…_I d-d-don't want Mother to __**die**__…'_

Kadaj thought he was going to cry again. Before he had the chance to, Yazoo's authoritative voice sifted through his senses.

"Kadaj, come over here." Yazoo commanded. The teen was there at his side in an instant. "Now do as I do. If you want Mother to survive the night, strip and help me raise her body temperature."

Kadaj only hesitated once. And then he quickly stripped. Soon he was imitating his brother's actions. The brothers had arranged themselves so Aeris was laying on Yazoo while Kadaj was laying half crouched on top of her. Their hands were constantly moving, and rubbing across the flower girl's limbs, trying to bring warmth back into her frozen muscles.

"Yazoo this is so not working!" Kadaj was getting frantic now. His iratic actions showed this. His body was quaking with fear and his fingers were trembling over the brunette's form. He was getting to a point beyond tears. He was beginning to lose hope in her survival. "She isn't getting any warmer!"

Yazoo refused to look up at the younger male. He was too busy attempting to save the brunette laying on top of him. "Be patient Kadaj. She will. Bring her body closer to the fire. Now, have you got any blankets and water? If you have no water, then melt some ice."

"No I have some water," Kadaj voiced weakly.

"Good, now I want you to heat the water and pour a little on a blanket. Not too hot now, we will have to do this gradually. One step at a time"

Kadaj did what his elder brother asked of him, and then soon he was back on top of the flowergirl trying to heat her up. He glided a wet blanket across the brunette's form. When Yazoo commanded him to increase the temperature of the water on the blanket, the teen did so without question. Slowly but surely, as Kadaj continued to rub the wet material across the brunette's body, and Yazoo kept on rubbing at the teen's cold limbs, the dark blue tinge on the brunette's lips began to gently fade.

"It's working!" Kadaj exclaimed with elation, as he began to rub the cloth faster over his Mother's body.

Yazoo did not respond to his younger brother. Instead he was working on the circulation of the brunette's arms. "Now Kadaj, I want you to use a restore materia and summon a level three cure spell on her."

"Yes!" Now this was something Kadaj could do. He reached behind him to draw out his most used piece of materia from his inventory bag. He then raised it over the flowergirl's naked chest.

"Cure 3!" Explosive curative energies imploded within the brunette's form while she continued to slumber peacefully now. And for one impressive moment, the tiny cave was lit with a glowing green light. When the light faded, Kadaj wearily sagged over his Mother's body. He was completely and utterly spent. All his energy had gone. He could not move. He was 100% drained. After travelling by snowboard in a violent blizzard for nearly an entire day, and finding his Mother in such a dangerous state had truly taken every ounce of the energy from him. The Cure spell was just the last thing that his body could manage to do. The young teen groaned. He was so very, very tired. His eye lids fluttered weakly, as he stared down at the beautiful deity beneath him. The teen's eyes fluttered once more, and then before he knew it, Kadaj was out like a light.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

In the depths of the dark icy cave, cold mako eyes gleamed between Kadaj and the young brunette on his person, then at the small, weak fire which barely managed to create enough heat for all three of them . Yazoo sighed to himself, before drawling the remains of his cloak over his resting brother and the sleeping flowergirl. Yazoo knew he would be getting no sleep tonight.

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Gongaga**

0o0o0o0o0o0

When Avalanche awoke the next morning to find a member of their team missing, they were all a worried, that is until they realised it was only the silent gunman, Vincent Valentine. No-one seemed to worry, nor care that Vincent was alone since everyone had seen the Ex-Turk's experience on the battlefield firsthand. If the need came for it, Avalanche knew the gunman could take care of himself.. Instead every member of Avalanche focussed on their own personal problems at hand. Yuffie had long since left the Inn to mope around the empty village. It seemed seeing Sephiroth in the temple had spooked her the most. Cid, had temporarily left the Inn to go to the item shop before returning shortly afterwards. Red assumed he had gone to get more cigarettes, and he was mildly surprised when he had returned to their party with a huge bottle of whisky. "Keh I needed something stronger this time than a fucking damn cup of tea," Cid huffed to himself. He didn't even need to use a glass. He simply unscrewed the lid and took a huge swig from the tan hued bottle.

Soon after he took the swig, The pilot cringed and coughed loudly, as if in pain. "Damn shit! This stuff is really fucking strong!" He exclaimed, followed by another bout of coughing. "I think after I'm done with this one, I will definitely have to buy another bottle. Yes I will definitely need to get another if I want to survive the rest of this crackhead journey with a leader who is a complete nutter.."

Fortunately no-one heard the pilots foul-mouthed words other than Red who was lounging in a nearby chair.

Red, rolled his one eye at the blond pilot. The large red beast was currently laying in the room where the remaining Avalanche members were residing in the next room. With his single eye, he listened attentively for any signs from the next room signalling that his leader had woken up yet.

0o0o0

In the next room, a busty brunette worried over the unconscious Cloud trying not to think about everything that had transpired outside the Temple of the Ancients. Tifa truly had no idea what was going on anymore. Something was very, very wrong with her childhood friend. There were things happening to him that were just….not right at all.. And it frightened her.

"Hey Tifa, has Spike woken up yet?"

"No Barret," the brunette said softly as she looked at her sleeping leader. Even in sleep his face seemed drained, and void of genuine rest. His features were contorted as if he was visiting the realms of another deep seated nightmare. Tifa's brows furrowed with genuine worry, and she reached over to try and rub away the frown lines on the blond's face to no avail. She hated seeing the blond in pain. But the brunette had no idea how to help him. He was her only living connection to her childhood past. She did not want to lose the connection. She did not want to lose him.

'_B-but Cloud gave Sephiroth the Black Materia..'_

'_What is going to happen now…?'_ Tifa thought worriedly as she looked out of the window and towards the dusky heavens above. The sky seemed to paint a scene that tragedy would soon be settling on the horizon.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**Whew. Now how much action was in this chapter? Whew. Two hot SHM in a relatively cold place. I would almost be jealous of Aeris if it wasn't for the fact that she is suffering from acute hypothermia!!! Poor lass, she seems to attract the worst kind of luck…and men! I guess we should all blame Yazoo for this. Selfish men are the worst kind of men, right guys?! lol**

**Anywho everyone, don't forget to review. If you review nicely, I am the sort of author who likes sending back nice, long replies. Lol And of course it will make me type even faster than I am now.**

**Anywho till next time.**

**Xau x**

**Hon Ja ne x**

**Aer_seph4eva**


	25. Anxious Awakening

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**10294 Words**

**24 pages**

**Chapter 25**

**Anxious Awakening**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Hey guys! I hope everyone has been doing well. Atm, I have been trying to improve my painting skills by doing some very random art commissions. Someday I hope to paint a wonderful cover for this fic. I just want to earn a bit more money first doing my commissions haha x**

**As for the last chapter, I thought it was kinda fun in a dark and twisted way. I send a great big Thankyou to everyone who's sent me a lovely review about my portrayal of Yazoo. I think there is something so deliciously cold about Yazoo's character and he serves as a wonderful binary to Kadaj. **

**Anywho, Musical muses for this chapter.**

**Era's Impera. (Best Vinnie inspirational music)**

**Cristofori's Dream by David Lanz. (Again another melancholy beautiful Vinnyish theme)**

**FF7ACC Sign (Best for creating warp SHM scenes)**

**Schindler's List (Pure tragedy that's why it is so beautiful)**

**Stay with me from the Fountain (The song of tears based on a film about accepting death. Simply beautiful) **

**Anywho enough of my ramblings and on with the fic!**

0o0o0

In the end it was Yuffie who found a very dirty Vincent Valentine slumbering in the Gongaga graveyard. He was sleeping against one of the gravestones, shivering as if he had been laying outside all night. The young female raised a brow as she noticed that the Ex-Turk was not even wearing his comical golden boots nor his dark red mantle.

Yuffie gaped. Her first instinct was to twirl around and leave the sleeping man in peace. But something held her back. This was the first time she had looked at the dark haired male without his wary crimson eyes staring her down. Dressed in only a black vest and thin leather trousers, the gunman looked more vulnerable than the ninja had ever imagined. His long black hair cascaded down his pale shoulders and his long lashes seemed so dark against his pasty white skin. For the very first time, the ninja admitted to herself that Vincent was a rather handsome guy in a dark, creepy, and all too skinny sort of way.

"Gosh Vinny you are so thin! Stop dieting and pig out!" Yuffie wanted to exclaim. But she held her breath, as she watched the gunman's brow furrow against the cold stone. She had not said anything aloud, but it seemed that the gunman had sensed her presence. Yuffie watched as a lazy crack of crimson blearily looked up at her.

"Hey Vinny are you alright?" Yuffie asked, as she squatted down to meet the gunman's eye level. "You look a mess," she added, to prove a point, she reached out to pluck a leaf out of his wild ebony hair.

Vincent sighed, and rubbed a gloved hand to his temple. "I am fine," he answered with a whisper, a little disconcerted with the ninja's closeness to him. He would have moved away, but he simply did not have the energy to do so. "I am…just tired."

"Tired?" Yuffie raised a brow. "Well I don't think a graveyard would be the best place to sleep now."

"Graveyard?" This was the very first time that Vincent took the time to look around. He seemed almost surprised to see the statues of angels and crosses encircling him from all directions. Last night, Vincent knew that Chaos had taken control of his body. He did not know when Chaos relinquished control, but it seemed that before he did, he chose to leave his body in a graveyard. The gunman chuckled silently to himself. "A cemetery seems more than fitting for me," he murmured to the cold air. Vincent was used to sleeping in graveyards. His body had grown accustomed to sleeping on a soft bed of red satin. It seemed Chaos was trying to indulge him by finding the gunman a place to sleep that he had long since been accustomed too all these years. A cold dark place that sighed with the stillness of death… Yes, a cold, dank cemetery was an all too fitting place for a damned soul such as Vincent Valentine.

The gunman's dark crimson eyes rose from the dirt to rise upwards to the melancholy beauty of a white marble statue situated on top of a grave opposite him. His throat tightened as he gazed in silent wonder at the angelic manmade deity that had her arms held together in prayer. Vincent knew deep down that there was something dubiously improper having pure white angels hovering over the dark and empty realm of a lonely graveyard. Stone angels seemed like beacons of false hope. To Vincent, their icy white wings symbolised a false escape from a world that had wronged them. This was what the gunman could not understand about the motif of an angel. If angels had wings, why would they hover and stay in a place which reeked of pain and eternal sadness? Why would something so pure glow in a place where only death and sorrow reigned? Vincent believed that if angels could truly fly, would they not be soaring to places which were bereft of sadness and sorrow? Wouldn't they flee to another world where the darkness of man could not harm nor taint their eternal beauty?

The gunman sighed. Whenever his thoughts turned to melancholy thoughts of darkness, his mind would inevitably shift back to the waning light in his heart.

'_Lucrecia_…'

Every time he thought of her name. The same cold pang of sorrow shot through him, like a bullet fired by the grim reaper himself.

'_My beautiful Lucrecia…'_

Looking at the same statue now, the gunman could see his beloved's face in the white ivory. Vincent could easily envision her warm brown eyes, and her small but gentle hands reaching out to touch his dark brow.

'…_I…I need you with me… Please… Tell me how… I cannot live without you…'_

'…_You are all that I lived for…'_

'……_Please…help me…'_

Yuffie shivered as she watched the gunman descend into a silent dream beside her. It seemed he had forgotten that she was sitting there with him. The ninja felt like she should not remain there, but it seemed wrong to leave a man alone when they were so very mournful. The wutainese princess was never fond of gloomy thoughts. Whether they were her own or other peoples. Yuffie knew the best way to rid gloomy thoughts was to promote ultra happy- happy ones.

"Hey lighten up Vinny!" The ninja exclaimed, trying to meet the gunman's eyes. Instead the Ex-Turk seemed to be looking through her, and at something behind her. The ninja turned around and eyed the impressive beauty of the angelic statue which towered over them both. The statue was wearing long flowing robes and had long trailing hair. It was the personification of purity and beauty. Yuffie's eyes slid between the statue and the gunman. He seemed completely enraptured with it.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" Yuffie admitted.

"………" Vincent made no response. There was no thought invading his mind other than his love for his beloved Lucrecia.

"Shame she's only made of stone. You could have asked her out on a date." Yuffie added cheekily, wholly expecting a response for that quip.

The gunman blinked, but said nothing.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. It seemed Vincent had gone to a place where only he and the statue existed. The ninja knew that the statue was pretty, but she wasn't that amazing to goggle at. The ninja didn't know what fascination the gunman had with still-life objects.

'Well…I guess with that long hair and those stupidly bug sized eyes, the stone looks a hell of a lot like Aeris…'

Assuming that the gunman was pining after a certain missing flowergirl, the teen rolled her eyes again. "Don't worry Vinny. We will find your lover."

The gunman blinked. This time he raised his head to stare directly at Yuffie. His gaze was penetrating and a little disconcerting. It seemed he wanted her to elaborate.

Yuffie scratched her head. "Well you know. Cloud lost her once and found her again. We will get your Aeris back, don't you worry!"

The gunman's eyes widened, and then he turned his head away to the side as if he had been slapped with the truth. The gunman's persona reeked of pure dejection. He clenched his hands to his sides. He could no longer look at the statue now. Vincent Valentine was now looking at the dirt beneath him. That was all he deserved to look at. He did not deserve to look at any form of beauty. Yuffie's words, no matter how silly and incorrect they were struck a chord in the gunman's dying heart. He foolishly assumed that Yuffie knew how to help him find his beloved Lucrecia. But the remembrance of another beautiful woman caused the gunman's heart to crumble even more. There was something about that flowergirl. Vincent knew Aeris was someone precious. When he thought of her, all he could think of, was why anyone could want to hurt someone so innocent and pure.

'_But it always those who are the most undeserving that pay the price for being innocent.'_

Vincent mentally mourned those who had been damned by Shinra.

He could not protect his beloved. He could not protect her son. He could not protect Aeris…

The gunman inhaled a dry and musky laugh to himself. What really was the point of his existence if the people he tried to help, were condemned by his inability to act? The answer to that question, Vincent knew all too well. There was really no point to his existence. He had pondered his existence for thirty years and came to that single conclusion.

Vincent stared down at his clawed hand. His crime and punishment. For failing her.

'_I have failed them all…'_

The gunman did not even have the emotional capacity to cry. He was that pathetic. All he could do was continue his false existence, dancing between the pinnacle of life and self destruction. Vincent sighed. Pining away was getting himself nowhere. He had to get up. His misery would always follow him, but it seemed wiser to move and be melancholy, rather than be still and melancholy. He had remained still in a coffin for over thirty years. If he was going to sit in a graveyard, he might as well have stayed inside the Nibelheim mansion. The gunman shook his head. He knew now was the time for action…

'_..Even if I know all my actions will ultimately result in failure…' _

'_I need to try…'_

'…_for her…'_

'…_for Aeris…'_

Vincent moved his bare feet beneath him, and then he slowly rose to his tall height. The ninja beside him leapt up to her feet, and she watched in silent awe as the morning wind caused the gunman's long hair to dance softly in the melancholy breeze.

"Whoa Vinny, I think you need to take a bath when you get back to the others. You are D-irt-tay!" Yuffie exclaimed, as she plucked another leaf out of the gunman's hair.

Vincent looked down at himself and eyed the smears of dirt coating himself from head to toe. He could only wonder where Chaos had taken him last night. The gunman mentally sighed once more. In truth, he realised he did not want to know. The thought that Chaos might have ripped a human child to pieces while he remained dormant was not something he wanted to know nor remember.

The gunman tried to rub the dirt off his trousers and shirt, but the stains did not seem to fade. 'Just like I cannot remove the growing sins on my soul. Lucrecia. Aeris. Sephiroth. Please forgive me.'

His dark crimson eyes turned from the grim graveyard to meet the ninja's steel toned orbs. "Yuffie. Lets go back to the others."

"Oh finally! Graveyards really give me the creeps!" Yuffie exclaimed, as she jogged towards the entrance of the cemetery with a reticent gunman warily following on in tow.

0o0o0o0

"Vincent's back Cloud," Tifa called to her leader, whilst looking out a window, watching as a familiar gunman and bouncy wutainese ninja appeared in her vision on the Gongaga streets. Hearing no response from the Ex-SOLDIER, the brunette's dark eyes turned towards the blond laying on the bed. His gaze remained focused on the cracked white ceiling above him.

"Cloud?" The brunette voiced gently as she made her way to the blond's bed. They were the only two in the single room of the Gongaga Inn. "Are you okay?"

Cloud turned his head to the side, as if trying to turn his mind away from the question the brunette had asked. When he turned his glowing mako gaze to stare at the worried brunette, the blond revealed none of the emotional anxieties that were currently swirling in his conscious mind. "I am fine Tifa. I am just tired."

Tifa grinned weakly. "I guess we are all tired." she sighed. She knew she had not had a single wink of rest last night. She was too busy watching over her blond haired leader. All night she had wondered what to say to him, and what he would say to her. Seeing Sephiroth inside the temple had truly affected them all. But how Cloud had acted around Sephiroth was what truly disconcerted the brunette. She wouldn't have believed it if she did not see it with her own eyes. Cloud had readily handed the fate of the planet to a psycho megalomaniac.

The brunette bit her lip. One of her gloved hands moved over her chest to unconsciously score a line where a silver scar remained hidden from the rest of the world.

"Cloud?"

"Yes Tifa?"

It was the question that needed to be asked. "What are we going to do now?"

The blond sighed in bed. "I wish I knew…. I guess we need to find Sephiroth again. He has the Black Materia.." '.._because of me_..' "-and we are all aware of what Sephiroth intends to do with it. He intends to kill us all to make himself become a God to this Planet."

"He's insane." Tifa shuddered. The nightmare of Nibelheim came back to her mind. All she could think of was fire and death. "We cannot let that happen."

"I know," Cloud breathed. '…I just don't know how we can stop someone like Sephiroth…'

Tifa let the room reside to silence. She then voiced another thought that she knew was on her leader's mind. "Aeris was not with Sephiroth. What does this mean then?"

The blond closed his eyes and inhaled softly. "I really don't know." Cloud had thought of all the reasons why Aeris was not at Sephiroth's side. The only realistic and most logical thought he could come across was how Sephiroth had kidnapped her again, had no use of her, killed her, and had disposed of her body somewhere for the scavengers to feed on. The blond clenched his hands at his sides. He wished he could think of other thoughts but whenever he thought of Sephiroth, all he could think about was death. He vocalised his internal ramblings to the brunette in the room.

She gasped. "Oh Cloud don't say such things!" Tifa said.

"We all need to be realistic here Tifa. Aeris is most likely dead." The way the blond said these words made the brunette believe that something had truly died inside the warrior's heart. Cloud was not acting like himself. The glowing mako fire in his eyes seemed much dimmer than usual, void of the warrior vigour she had seen in the past.

"There is no proof that Sephiroth has killed her," the brunette argued, trying to instil some form of hope into the blond.

"There is no proof that Sephiroth has not killed her." Cloud finished.

Tifa could not respond to such a statement. Her leader seemed like he had given up on the flowergirl. To Tifa, Cloud's responses seemed so very wrong and unnatural. No, Tifa realised. It wasn't that Cloud had given up on Aeris. Tifa realised that Cloud had given up on himself. She had an unconscious urge to slap some sense into the blond, but she knew that violence would do more harm than good. Although most people failed to see it. Cloud… was a very sensitive person. She did not want the blond to turn away from her. She only wanted to help him. She was his only connection to his past, as he was hers.

"Cloud, we will find a way out of this. If we found Aeris once, we can find her again," Tifa encouraged softly.

"I guess," Cloud voiced softly to the ceiling.

And then the room went silent once more.

The silence was broken by an all too familiar yell of a wutainese princess reminding everyone that she was in the neighbouring vicinity.

Cloud cringed and threw a hand over his eyes, as his bedroom door banged open and a cheeky ninja bounded inside, along with a silent gunman lurking at her side. The blond groaned silently. Oh how he wished he could escape the rest of his life in the land of dreams. In that land Cloud was sure wutainese princesses would either be mute or cease to exist.

"Hey Cloud! Wakey wakey! You need to get up now! Make plans! Go after that prized Black Materia and smash that meanie Sephiroth down!"

The blond blinked. He was not the only one surprised by the ninja's unexpected words. Even Tifa and Vincent was baffled by the ninja's positive attitude. They all knew Yuffie was all too aware of how dangerous Sephiroth was. After all she was the first to flee in battle when they encountered him in the Temple of the Ancients. But for some bizarre reason, Yuffie now seemed ready to take him on. No-one could understand the teen's sudden change of heart.

"Um Yuffie?" Tifa began. "Are you feeling okay?"

The ninja grinned and pumped a fist. "I'm feeling great actually. I'm just getting fed up with how everyone is acting so down in the dumps. I found our dear Vinny sleeping like a tramp in a graveyard." The Ex-Turk's back tensed, as he fought the urge not to glare at the teen beside him. "And Cloud has never been Captain Positive to us all, and well…walking around this town has given me time to think over everything that has happened to me." The ninja walked around the room as she spoke. "Well what I realised is this. No matter what life throws our way, in the end we are the ones who choose how to act when we face life's challenges. Staying sad, scared and miserable really doesn't change a thing, nor does it really help our future prospects. In fact fear and sadness can only make things worse. Sadness makes our fears bigger. It makes our anxieties stronger, till it gets to a point that the only thing we can do is cower in our beds and worry over what the next day can bring." After saying this, Yuffie bounded over to the blond. Cloud was listening to Yuffie for what seemed the first time since they had first met. "Cloud doesn't it make more sense to get out of bed and see what we can do, than wallowing in what we cannot?" Now Yuffie had whirled on Vincent, pointing at him as if accusing the gunman of a secret crime. "Why think in a way that cripples you from day one? Isn't it better to think in a way that strengthens you?"

"What are you saying Yuffie?" Tifa asked. She was interested in what the ninja was saying.

"What I'm saying is that everyone needs a huge kick up the butt. If you want to find Aeris, then we all need to get up and find her. If you want to beat up Sephiroth, Cloud pick up your sword and beat him up with it. What are you guys waiting for?!"

Tifa smiled grimly at the young ninja. "We all understand what you say Yuffie, but sometimes life isn't that simple."

"Why can't it be that simple then, huh?" Yuffie countered. "I haven't even reached twenty and I have realised now that life can only be what you want it to be. You see…when I first met you guys, the only thing that was important to me was bringing back power to my home, and to do this I thought the only way was by stealing back all of the materia that rightfully belongs to Wutai!"

The ninja pumped a fist in the air. "In truth…I still plan to return my country to its former glory. But I'm sidetracking myself. When I first met you guys…I was too single-minded. I was not thinking things through logically. I thought it was only with the power of materia that I could help Wutai bring down Shinra…" Yuffie paused then, as she envisioned green mako eyes staring at her from within the darkness.

"But….when I met _him_…when I faced _**him**_…for the first time…Sephiroth unknowingly taught me something."

"Despite having materia on me. I was still powerless. He k-killed me and-"

Yuffie inhaled a breath. She was getting emotional again. She did not want to be emotional for what she was going to say next. "And then when Sephiroth brought me back to life as if on a whim, I realised that Sephiroth's fearsome power didn't come from some dinky materia or from a person's sword or gun or knife. In the end power comes from what choices we can make in life. I have nooo idea why Sephiroth brought me back from the dead. But all I know is that he did it by his own free will. If he didn't well…I would be scavenger food now." Yuffie shuddered to herself.

"Anyways…what I'm trying to say is we all choose who we want to be. Good. Bad. Semi-bad. Semi-good? We can either be lazy recluses who waste each day wallowing in bed, sleeping in graveyards and coffins….or we can be strong warriors who squash the bad guys and always fight to win! Hyah! I know now that I'm not going to waste my life being afraid of someone, when we might have an opportunity to kick Sephiroth's ass in the future!"

When Yuffie finished her speech, everyone remained silent. Tifa was the first to speak. "You know what Cloud, Yuffie is right. We all need to get up and strategise what to do next. We cannot complain about not being in control of our own future if we do not attempt to fight!"

"…….." Cloud sighed, and wearily got himself out of the bed. He himself did not know what to do, but even he knew that wallowing in bed wasn't going to change things for him.

"Now guys! Let's plan!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Vincent, go and get Barret, Cid and Red. We all need to be together to bring Sephiroth down and get Aeris back."

The blond leader of Avalanche raised a brow, as he watched the Turk leave the room to do what the ninja told him without question. 'Okay? Who has made Yuffie leader of Avalanche?' Cloud shook his head as he watched his team-mates gather around her. The blond really didn't care who led their party now, as long as it wasn't him. Today he really did not have the motivation nor the will to drive the others on.

'_..hahahah. Of course not. After all Cloud, you are only a puppet…'_

Cloud's eyes widened. The voice in his head were back again!

0o0o0o0

**Midgar: Shinra HQ.**

0o0o0o0

"Okay. Thank you for that Elena," Rufus coughed into his PHS, before closing it shut and tossing the item across the other side of the room. The young President cursed in pain, as he leant back in his office chair. His entire body burned all over. And it was all because of Hojo's damn mako shots. Elena has just contacted him to let him know that Tseng was out of commission. It seemed that Sephiroth had interceded him at the entrance of the Temple of the Ancients. The truth was unfortunate, as it went against one of the blond's main plans. Rufus' first priority was to find the Promised Land so he could carry on his father's legacy. Rufus coughed again and drew a hand to his mouth. His shoulders wracked with the pain of each sound that came from his lips. When the blond drew his hand away, he was half alarmed to see black flecks of blood coating his palm. Whipping a cloth from his pocket, the President cleaned the blood off his hands before throwing the handkerchief in a nearby bin. The blond sighed deeply before leaning back into his office chair. Things did not seem like they were working in his favour. Hojo had promised him that the shots would enhance his body, not cripple him.

"Damnit!"

The President's temple was pounding a fierce drum song of pain. And his skin burned all over. Rufus' eyes were red rimmed from all the many tearful nights where the pain was just too great to bare. His body felt like one painful agony. Rufus could not understand why he even thought of allowing that crazy scientist to play with his body. He even swore that since the first injection, some nights he had heard voices in his head telling him to do things he had no intention of doing. The words always told him that he was meant to be going on a journey to the far North. Rufus simply thought these were the painkiller drugs talking. But the voices didn't seem to change. They kept telling him to attend a place where a being of unprecedented power would be born in the far North. The young President cursed, and wearily went looked inside his white jacket pockets to light himself a cigarette. It seemed that madness of the mind was the price to pay to possess supreme power of the body.

The blond breathed out smoke from his lit cigarette. Rufus' intensely blue eyes were tainted with mako as he pondered his next actions. He knew he needed to see Hojo tomorrow to request for more painkillers, and find out if the buzzing voices in his head would be something permanent, or a temporary side affect.

Rufus sighed. For now, he had other things to attend to. The President of Shinra had files that needed to be read and signed. Most of the papers were from the Weapons Department about the future funding costs of the Mako cannon. But the blond knew such files could be through at another time. Rufus turned his attention back to his mobile phone on the floor. With great effort the white clothed male got out of his chair and painfully made his way over to his PHS. He picked it up. It seemed that it was still in working order. The President then scanned the list of names in his phone list. His eyes flickered on Scarlet's name for a moment, before grimacing. Now that was not a woman he had never appreciated seeing during his work time, let alone his free time. His eyes went further down the list, before going back up again. It seemed there was no-one who seemed suitable to accompany him tonight. His mako eyes then gleamed as a unusual thought came to him. His thumb pressed the call-back button, and the President raised the mobile to his ear.

"Elena. I need you to attend my office in one hour for dinner. And…" Rufus paused, as he envisioned some of the scantily clad numbers that Scarlet had worn in the past to woo him. He visibly cringed. "I recommend that you dress appropriately."

He clicked his phone shut before he received an answer. The President knew that none of his Turks could say no to any of his whims.. After all, he paid them far too much to allow them to think for themselves..

0o0o0

**Midgar: Elena's Room**

0o0o0

The blonde female blinked. Her mouth almost hit the floor when she repeated aloud what Rufus had just said to her.

"Elena. I need you to attend my office in one hour for dinner. And I recommend that you dress appropriately. What the hell?!" the blonde exclaimed, as she looked at the time on the wall. The blonde Turk felt like a complete mess. She had been upset ever since she had found out about Tseng's wounded condition. The last thing she wanted to do was go on a date with anybody, let alone the President of Shinra. After all he was the one who sent Tseng on the suicide mission. He was the reason why Tseng was hurt. Elena mentally seethed.

"But an order is an order," the Turk sighed, as she dropped her mobile to her bed and made her way to the shower. "And what the hell does Rufus mean by dress appropriately?!"

0o0o0

**Northern Continent: Back to a very cold cave **

0o0o0

Aeris awoke.

But when she awoke she swore she must have still been dreaming. For only dreams could envision such mad situations. In her moment of awakening, the flowergirl could feel many sensations and nearly all of them were unpleasant. First and foremost she was cold. But not just mildly cold. She was absolutely freezing. Instinct made her try and curl up to the heat which encompassed her back and chest. The heat she was feeling was something she did not want to part with, for if she did not have the heat, all she would have around her is the cold. Her vision was blurred and her mouth felt slurry, as if sometime during the night her mouth had frozen over and was still in the process of defrosting.

Eventually Aeris' vision cleared enough that she could see the vague crackling embers of a fire close to her right side. It did not seem strong enough to create any form of valuable heat. Thankfully it lit the cave so that Aeris could see her surroundings. Aeris sighed and blearily looked down at the dark cloak which covered her form. One by one her senses enhanced. She could hear the crackling fire, but more puzzling was how she could hear a pulsing beat which sounded awfully like a heart pounding at the back of her head. The brunette froze, almost wanting to turn around to reprimand Kadaj for surprising her. Aeris knew this was not the first time the teen had decided to sleep so close to her. She was about to use her left arm to tap him to ask him to move when Aeris realised something even more positively disturbing. It was something she knew she should have realised from the very beginning of awakening. A black cloak covered her, but she did not have to see anything to know that something hot was laying in her lap, hidden from her vision. Whatever was on her body had pinned her left arm between them. Fortunately the flowergirl's right arm was free to move as she so pleased, and Aeris she warily lifted the cloak to see what strange heat was laying on her body.

What she saw made her eyes bulge.

And then she opened her mouth to scream.

But suddenly a large hand covered her mouth before she could utter even the smallest cry of horror.

"Do not awake him. He tired himself to the point of fatigue to save you," A calm and detached voice whispered in her ear. Aeris body tensed. Her instincts were telling her to move. But the hand around her mouth clenched down, causing her pain. The brunette trembled. Hers eyes were framed open with shock at the sight in her lap. She did not expect to see this. Kadaj was naked, and curled as innocent as a babe on top of her naked body. If that realisation could not make her faint first, then the sight of two strong thighs positioned on either side of her hips, and long silver hair pooling down her right bare shoulder, should have! Aeris was all too aware that Kadaj and she were not the only naked individuals in the cave. Aeris tried to struggle but the silver haired gunman behind her grabbed her shoulder to prevent her from jostling Kadaj awake.

Now the flowergirl was fully aware of the gunman, Aeris could feel intense eyes on her from behind. She wanted to be free of him. But the gunman refused to release his grip. The brunette's eyes watered with pain, fear and the cold. All she could think about was crying. Tears slipped out of her tear ducts and splashed on the gunman's hand around her mouth.

"You cry when Kadaj and I save you? You are so ungrateful," Yazoo murmured in her ear. Aeris scrunched her eyes shut but the tears still continued to come. "If it was not for us, you would have died. If your little feeble mind cannot comprehend why Kadaj and I are positioned around you like this, then I will tell you myself, it is not for our benefit, but for yours."

Aeris shuddered. Her back was tense against the gunman's chest. This was the last thing she had ever imagined or wanted. "It almost amuses me how you are upset when it should be me who should be affronted after being forced to save your undeserving life. I did not have to do this you know."

Aeris raised her right hand to grasp the gunman's covering her mouth. Her feeble attempts did not affect his iron like grip on her. "Promise you will not awaken my Brother and I will let you speak."

Aeris nodded reluctantly, and when Yazoo removed his hand, the brunette remained silent. It was more out of shock and fear than obedience to the gunman's words. However the flowergirl continued to cry. Unfortunately, her wet tears did not irk the gunman at all. In truth, they confused him. He believed the girl had no reason to cry. "Why are you still crying?"

Aeris looked down at the pale haired Kadaj laying on her chest. His legs were woven in her own. She stifled a sob. "I cant help it…" she cried weakly.

The brunette's words weren't good enough for the gunman. "So you cannot control your urges to cry. You are that weak?" Yazoo drawled.

The gunman's words seemed all too similar to another silver haired warrior she knew and Aeris was amazed by her own answer, "Yes! I am weak!!" She exclaimed, uncaring whether she awoke Kadaj up or not. "I'm weak and useless! There you go! Are you happy now?!"

Yazoo felt his lip tense. Somehow the brunette's words did not satisfy him. "Even though you acknowledge being weak and insignificant. Explain this to me then. What does Sephiroth see in you?"

"I don't know," the brunette was blubbering now. "I don't care. I just want to find him. I have things to tell him about his past that he doesn't know about. I know what I say can help him."

"And what are you planning to tell Sephiroth?" Yazoo asked blandly.

The brunette shook her head. She did not need to tell the cold gunman anything. The words Vincent had told her were sacred. They were her only hope for Sephiroth's salvation, and for her own. "Sephiroth only needs to know them. No-one else."

"Fair enough," the gunman said in a stale tone. Genuinely he did not care about the brunette's intentions. The only thing he cared about was preventing her from jeopardising Kadaj's mission. He turned his gaze from her and looked towards the fire. It was the only visible form of life in the cold cave.

Aeris had not stopped crying but her blubbering had lessened. She listened to the faint crackling sounds of the fire and the powerful pulsing of Yazoo's heart from behind and Kadaj's at her front. In the silence, the flowergirl truly took in what Yazoo had just said to her. She realised now that the silver haired pair had saved her life. They had shared their body heat so she could survive the night in the cold. Aeris did not know what to make of it. Embarrassment and fear prevailed the logic of Yazoo's words. It seemed insane how she got herself into these crazy situations. Her face burned with shame and mortification. Her mortification quickly bled to fear. Her green eyed gaze then gazed down at the solid pale thighs of the man laying behind her, and her mind warped back into a new state of raw horror. New tears began to slip from her eyes.

In the dark, dimly lit cave, the naked flowergirl's gaze bravely flickered down to her chest where Kadaj was currently sleeping. Aeris noticed for the first time the frozen tears which were misted at the corner of the young warrior's eyes. The flowergirl felt a warm pang flicker in her heart, and the brunette raised her right hand to brush away the teen's pale locks from his face. Her embarrassment of her situation had far from faded. Knowing that Kadaj's head was now resting against her naked breasts was a experience she hoped she would soon forget in time. She had the same thought about being aware of the hard contours of Yazoo's torso against her naked back and rear. Still out of the two men, Kadaj naturally gave her more comfort than Yazoo. In that decision alone, Aeris grabbed at the opportunity of not sinking further into a deeper realm of madness. With her right arm, Aeris drew her arm around Kadaj and clung to him like a vice. Aeris knew that in the cave, Kadaj was the only source of life who genuinely cared for her welfare, and Aeris did not want to let go of such a precious gift of warmth.

Aeris knew between the two men, her frightened heartbeat could not slow to allow her to sleep, but she stilled her body enough, that eventually Yazoo wrapped his cloak back around them all.

And then time passed for memory.

Aeris knew she had not slept a wink, but slowly the warm bundle in her lap began to move, and the pale face on her buxom shifted silently. Two catlike eyes, the colour of mint starlight blinked up at her.

And that was when the tears came.

Which were not Aeris'

But instead Kadajs'.

"OH MOTHER! YOU'RE AWAKE! " Kadaj exclaimed, as he hugged the brunette for all she was worth. Tears of pure elation were dripping from his eyes. "I-I, when I found you frozen, I thought I had lost you, but Yazoo helped me to warm you up. I would have never been able to forgive myself if something happened to you."

Kadaj's tears would not stop, and Aeris felt warmed at the sight of them. Kadaj genuinely cared for her. He was distraught at the thought of her dying. The brunette raised a hand to the teen's cheek and brushed a tear away. Kadaj stilled and blushed with shame. "I'm so sorry Mother. I promise I will never leave you alone with Yazoo again. I promise. I will never leave your side. I will be your shadow."

The brunette cracked the teen a smile and ruffled his hair. If nothing else, she could always rely on Kadaj to be too adorable even in the most darkest and dingiest of situations.

Aeris felt Yazoo shift behind her, and she froze at the sensation of feeling of his hard body rubbing behind her. She was then nudged forward none too gently. Aeris yelped when she was roughly pushed into Kadaj's solid form. The tall gunman did not bother to look at the pair, and Aeris tried not to look at him as a naked Yazoo bent himself over the fire. It took a moment for the flowergirl to realise what the gunman was doing. It seemed he was drying all of their clothes.

Looking between the two silver haired men, Aeris was constantly reminded of theirs, and her own immodesty. Using Yazoo's black cloak, Aeris wrapped herself and Kadaj in it, to remain warm while watching Yazoo unfreeze their clothes. The silence in the cave quickly lapsed into gentle conversation between the flowergirl and the young warrior sitting beside her.

"I do mean it Mother," Kadaj began softly.

"Mean what?" Aeris asked .

"I will _**never**_ leave your side, I promise."

The flowergirl shook her head., "Well as long as you keep Yazoo away from me, that's what will make me happy."

The gunman did not turn his head, but Aeris was more than aware that the cold male had heard her words.

"I can promise you that, and anything Mother," Kadaj readily consented. "Tell me Mother, how was your bike ride with Yazoo?"

The flowergirl cringed at the memory. It was all coming back to her now. "Oh it was terrible. Yazoo was so horrible to me. He drove as if he was trying to kill me with his crazy bike driving skills. It was awful."

The teen sighed before glaring at Yazoo's bare back. "Did you purposely try to frighten Mother Brother?"

Yazoo shrugged and did not bother to turn to look at his younger brother. "We are running on a schedule, are we not? I drove knowing that I had to reach this cave before the heavy blizzards came."

"I refuse to bike with him ever again," Aeris said stubbornly. "Even if I have to walk a hundred miles. I rather have blistered feet than a broken neck."

Kadaj looked genuinely sympathetic. He could only imagine how scared his Mother was, riding alone with Yazoo. Under the blankets, Kadaj found the brunette's hand and he held it in one of his own.

"Don't worry Mother. I'm here now. Yazoo cannot harm you when I'm around."

The more Kadaj said his gentle words of reassurance, the more Aeris almost believed them to be true.

Eventually Yazoo had finished drying everyone's clothes, and Aeris eeped when her dress and Kadaj's leather clad suit were thrown her way. Kadaj snatched the items from the air before they could hit her.

"Now we can get ready and leave Mother," Kadaj said, as he got up out of the blanket. Aeris flushed and turned her head away, as both males dressed with no modesty or care that she was sitting there between them. When they had both finished, and were clipping their weapons in position , the pair looked at the flowergirl shivering in the blankets with dubious confusion.

"Aren't you going to get dressed Mother? Now is the best time to leave, unless you need more time to rest?"

Aeris heard the Kadaj's softly spoken words, but she still refused to move from her blanket. "Why are you not changing?" Yazoo asked evenly.

The brunette blushed as the leather clad males both stared down at her. Both wanted an answer. "Erm…is it ok if I wait for you guys to leave the cave first. I kind of want to get changed alone."

Kadaj and Yazoo blinked. Neither could understand the logic of the brunette's demands. "Why?" They voiced together.

The brunette flushed further. "Please. Can you both…just leave the cave for a moment. I just need some time by myself that's all."

Yazoo rolled his eyes. He believed the woman was more trouble than she was worth.

The gunman turned his attention away, before silently proceeding to open up the entrance of the cave. Yazoo said nothing and left the cave as soon as it was open. Kadaj reluctantly followed his brother out soon afterwards. The cold blistery wind whistled inside the cave chilling the flowergirl to the bone. She almost regretted asking the brothers to leave, when she realised how cold the cave had quickly became.

The flowergirl sighed to herself before shaking her head. She did not have the time to think of such nonsense. She needed to get ready to travel. The brunette quickly stood up from the blanket and picked up her bra and underwear, her face was cringing due to the coldness of the air. She put her white set of underwear on as quickly as she could. As she was halfway through latching her bra, she paused instantly when she heard Kadaj's words from outside the cave.

"YOU PERVERT STOP LOOKING AT MOTHER!"

The brunette froze and peered out the cave to see the brother's arguing. Or more precisely at Kadaj screaming while Yazoo tried to appear unfazed. Neither were looking in her direction, but she was still in their line of sight if they were to turn their heads towards her.

""I SAW YOU! DON'T DENY IT! YOU WERE LOOKING AT MOTHER WITH NO CLOTHES ON!"

Aeris flushed after hearing Kadaj's words, and she quickly threw her dress on so she could cover the rest of her modesty, as fast as she could. She pulled on her socks and boots and put Yazoo's dark cloak around her shoulders. She checked that her Mother's materia was still clipped in her hair. Now fully dressed Aeris was ready to leave the cave. But something prevented her. Aeris stared at the weak fire that was desperately trying to stay alive. As Aeris looked at the fire's condition, it reminded her of herself. In a way she was the fire. Weak but she knew she needed to survive. She would survive!

"DON'T LIE! I KNOW YOU WERE LOOKING AT HER BREASTS BROTHER!"

The brunette's eyes bugged and she felt herself slip to the ground. Kadaj's last words were the last straw. The tears came and before she knew it Aeris realised she was crying. She was descending into madness. Her sanity had left her long ago. But she knew she could not crack. She was almost there. She was going to see Sephiroth. And she was going to help him! Aeris knew that she was going to heal him of his madness! The flowergirl knew she could not break now. She refused to break! The madness was not going to consume her! She was not afraid of anything! She did not care what strange events life threw her way! She did not care how she a virgin, had slept between two men! She did not care at all!

'_Oh who am I kidding?! Of course I care. I care so much I don't want to leave this cave to face either of them.'_

Aeris hiccupped softly as she pulled on Kadaj's gloves. She clenched her hands. She knew she had to be strong. She could be strong. She will be strong. Her fate was hers to make. Fate had dealt her a good hand if she was willing to grasp it. She was going to do what the Cetra willed her to do. And Yazoo's creepiness was not going to prevent her from completing her destiny.

She inhaled a breath a inner courage.

And then moved outside the cave.

Kadaj was instantly at her side. His eyes were softened with concern. Already he was searching for her hand to grasp against his own. Aeris wasn't sure whether the action was for her comfort, or his own. The brunette noticed that Yazoo had not even attempted to look at her. Not even once Whether it was through the shame of what Kadaj had yelled, or his apparent lack of care towards her person, Aeris truly did not know. All the brunette knew was that if Kadaj was not there, she was sure she would not have been able to manage the journey with Yazoo alone. Despite how Yazoo had supposedly had helped save her life last night, all his actions were for a specific function. There was no genuine kindness in him. In truth, Yazoo was simply cold and unpleasant. Aeris flushed as she remembered the words that Kadaj had yelled outside the cave. The flowergirl hoped the teen was simply imagining things. In truth, Kadaj must have been, because Aeris knew a man as callous as Yazoo could only loathe a woman like her. He could not even stand the the idea of looking at her now.

Aeris did not want to think anymore about the cold hearted gunman, and so she drew her attention to the cold white expanse around her. The blizzard was over and the entire grounds were blanketed with crisp white snow. It seemed everything was so pure and pristine. The brunette wished she could almost appreciate the beauty that almost killed her last night. But she simply couldn't. Aeris knew that whenever she thought of snow now, all she would identity it with…was death…or potential death. White and deadly. Cold and uncaring. The brunette felt her gaze flicker towards a dark figure who seemed to share a lot of similarities with the snow.

Aeris then felt Kadaj squeeze her hand, and the brunette's heart warmed. She turned her attention from Yazoo to look Kadaj in the eye. She had no doubt now. Kadaj was the one who made things so much easier to bear. He was the innocence that the snow feigned to be. Yazoo was like the snow. Cold and unloving. But Kadaj was more like the spring. He was the lamb that was happy to frolic in the grass. Aeris beamed, and before Kadaj knew it, he was almost barrelled over when the brunette let go of his hand to suddenly leap on him, nearly hugging him to death. His eyes bugged and it took a few seconds for his brain to work, before he curled his body around the flowergirl like a happy kitten.

"Mother?" The teen's eyes wavered with raw emotion.

"I'm so glad you are here now Kadaj," Aeris said gently, as she drew herself back to look at the childlike face which stared back at her in innocent awe. She was smiling fondly at him. She couldn't help it. She did not know when or how, but Kadaj had become something necessary in her life. The teen reminded her why she was travelling in the first place. It was to preserve innocence. The teen was beaming back at her through his pale bangs, and before she knew it Aeris started giggling, before outright laughing. The teen's grin faltered. Had he missed a joke?

"Mother why are you laughing? What is funny?"

The brunette shook her head. "No. No. You have simply reminded me of my purpose, that's all."

Kadaj blinked.

"Eh?"

The teen was baffled. His baffling was cut short when he noticed in his peripheral vision, a black figure was currently climbing up the snowy mountain.

"HEY! Yazoo!"

The gunman turned to look down at his Brother before continuing up the steep cliff.

"Hey wait for us!" Kadaj shouted out. _'Sneaky bastard.' _The teen turned back to his very startled Mother. "Don't worry Mother, when we get to the Reunion, I will tell Sephiroth everything that Yazoo has done so he can be accordingly punished."

The brunette shook her head.

"Come on Mother, Let's catch up with my Brother," Kadaj stated eagerly, as he looked up the steep mountain they had to traverse. His eyes noticed a less steep pathway than Yazoo had taken and Kadaj gestured his Mother towards it.

The brunette grinned as she watched the wind play across the teen's vision. She did not doubt the young teen's words, she was sure Sephiroth would not be happy with Yazoo's treatment with her. But then, she had more pressing matters to talk about with Sephiroth, than strange, creepy Yazoo. And so Aeris and Kadaj began climbing up the mountain.

"Kadaj? What do you think of Sephiroth?"

The teen paused to think, however he continued to trudge through the snow beside her.

"I don't know him very well Mother. All I know… is that Sephiroth decides what we do and everyone follows. And he is the one who keeps us all protected in the lifestream."

"What are you to Sephiroth then? I mean your resemblance to him is striking. Are you his son?"

Kadaj grinned and shook his head.

"You know I am no-ones son but _**yours**_ Mother."

The brunette shook her head. She could only wonder the relationship between Sephiroth and Kadaj. She knew they were related. Even Yazoo. They all looked too similar for it to be coincidence.

'_Sephiroth called both Kadaj and Yazoo his puppets? What did he mean? I know he__…__can communicate using them? Do they share some warped form of telepathy with them?_

Aeris sighed, as she continued to trudge onwards. It seemed amazing really. In the past when Kadaj used to call her Mother. It used to incite so much irritation and confusion in her. In truth, she was still a little confused, but now the term Mother had become more of a cute endearment more than anything else. Before whenever Kadaj said it, Aeris translated the name coming from an insane kid that had escaped from a child's mental asylum. Now whenever Kadaj called her his Mother, it now translated as someone who was he wanted to protect and keep safe. Aeris was more than sure that Kadaj would never try to harm her.

Still…she was curious about the strange relationship between Kadaj and Sephiroth…even Yazoo. She knew they all had to be related somehow.

"He must be some form of family member to you?" the brunette reasoned. Kadaj shrugged. In truth, he had never thought about Sephiroth that much. He had only wanted to find his Mother, and now that he had found her, he was complete. "Why don't you ask Sephiroth when you meet him in the Sanctuary Mother."

Now that was a good idea. "You know what? I will," Aeris agreed happily.

Kadaj grinned. He loved every moment he could make his Mother smile. His eyes then drew up the mountain where he could see his Brother vertically climbing with little effort. The teen was unsure why Yazoo was hasty to climb ahead of them. In truth, he was grateful as this meant he could spend time alone with Mother. His hand was back in the brunettes, and he swung her arm gently as they continued along a less dangerous path up the mountain.

0o0o0o0

**Further up Gaia's cliffs.**

0o0o0o0

He was panting. He was climbing and the effort wasn't exerting him. Instead it was his erratic thoughts. He thought the further he was away from her, his logical senses would return to him, but to no avail.

Oh how he hated that flowergirl immensely.

He truly and undeniably despised her.

She had placed a spell on him.

He was sure of it now.

His mind flashed back to a memory that had just recently occurred less than an hour ago. A memory he wished had not happened. When he had waited with his brother outside the cave, impatiently waiting for the brunette to appear, he did not know what compelled him to do his next action. He assumed it was his rare impatience of waiting for someone he did not care for. For reasons that he could not explain himself, Yazoo peered inside the entrance of the cave. What he saw made the gunman's cold heartbeat falter in a way he had never experienced in his life. Yazoo's mako tainted eyes were fixated on the sight of the flowergirl's cold erect nipples exposed to the air. He watched dumbly as she pulled a bra over her chest, concealing her ample breasts from view. When Kadaj screamed at him for his perversity, it seemed it had awoken him from the strange dream he had fallen into.

The thought that the girl could bewitch him again angered him.

It infuriated him.

Yazoo knew that he did not care for the weak girl at all.

He had taken no fancy to her.

Yazoo could not understand why…

Why a girl he had no interest in, could bother him so much?

It wasn't that he cared for her.

He did not care for her at all.

Yazoo remembered when Aeris emerged from the cave, he refused to look at her. It was not due to embarrassment or shame. He simply did not feel like looking at the girl. However what drew his attention back to her was when the flowergirl threw herself on his younger brother in a heartfelt hug. The scene…disturbed him. Yazoo knew that he was not jealous of Kadaj holding her in such a way. He simply did not like seeing such clear displays of affection in public. It…was...simply unsettling to him. And Yazoo knew such feelings were beneath him. After all he did not care for anyone but himself. Nor did anyone care for him. And that was how he preferred it. But the gunman knew that Kadaj seemed happy enough to cuddle himself in the brunette's arms, and for one slight moment, Yazoo could only wonder why his brother would be happy for something that seemed so…trivial and unsettling to him. Yazoo wondered what was so special about being embraced in such a way. Just last night he and Kadaj had lain with the brunette and he had felt nothing for her. But then the gunman knew the reason for their closeness was strictly for survival. He felt neither joy nor comfort with their close setup. Now, Yazoo wondered what Kadaj had to be feeling to so brightly smile at the thought of a weak girl embracing him with limbs that they could both easily snap in two. The gunman rolled his nose in distaste. Whatever Kadaj was experiencing, it was a emotion that Yazoo refused to experience anytime soon. He knew what the brunette felt like when his hands went over her. Her cold flesh did nothing for him.

'…_.but what about if she was **warm**?'_

'…_what would she feel like then?'_

The gunman nearly fell off the cliff at that thought. He cursed aloud.

Yazoo chanted a mantra of how he despised the female weakling, and hoped the cold would chill his unusually fervent thoughts. He had never desired anything other than a break from the mundane.

But then why….?

….someone he despised and found so repulsive…

…why did the sight of seeing the flowergirl naked…

….make him think such illogical thoughts…?

The gunman sighed. This was something he did not want to think about any further.

He turned his head to look downwards. He was surprised with how far he had climbed up. He could see his Brother with the girl below, and it seemed they were holding hands again.

His hands clenched against the rock face.

He was not jealous at all.

He was not…

He was _not_!

Yazoo did not know who he was trying to fool.

'………..'

The gunman mentally seethed.

Yazoo tried to think of all things dull and lifeless as he continued his way up the mountain…to no avail.

'_I always craved a break from the mundane. But this was not what I meant!'_

0o0o0o0

The further they walked up the mountain, the steeper their path became. Soon enough, Aeris realised their path was more vertical than it was horizontal. Her hands were aiding her upwards. Each time she looked up, she realised that Kadaj and she had not moved much higher than the base below. Aeris could not see how they could reach the top in time before nightfall. Walking through the snow was more tiring than she thought. Every now and then she had to stop to jump up and down to heat the blood back in her system. She was getting a little hungry too. As if the teen could read the flower girl's mind, Kadaj stopped and reached inside his bag.

"Lets take a break Mother. What would you like to eat?"

Aeris was happy to eat anything the teen offered. She grinned when the teen handed her a large bar of chocolate. The brunette had no idea where Kadaj got his endless supply of food from, but she was indeed grateful for his bag. It seemed it had everything they needed.

After finishing their small lunch, the pair trudged onwards up the snowy cliff.

"Hey Kadaj do you think Yazoo is at the top now?" Aeris panted.

Kadaj shrugged. He really could not care less where his brother was. "Who knows?"

The flowergirl sighed, and asked a question that was genuinely bothering her. "Kadaj, why does your Brother hate me?"

Kadaj shrugged again. "I really don't know. But then Yazoo isn't known to like anything nor anyone. I guess that is his nature…"

"I guess…" Aeris sighed and kept on climbing, with Kadaj following on from behind.

0o0o0o0o0

**Whew I managed to finish this chapter on a rather warped note. Hmmm… Yazoo…what are you really thinking? As for Aeris, bless her. She really is an unlucky girl. It is good that Kadaj is with her. He is like the stabilisers on her bike. Without him, she would be journeying alone.**

**And as for Vincent. He really, really needs to move on from Lucrecia. But I believe he is the kind of man who never will. His first love is his only love. That's what makes his character beautiful I guess. Thinking about it now, I think I too carry the same dreamy quality of pining after people who do me more harm than good, but like Lazard says, the best kind of dreams to have are the unobtainable ones. And believe me, most of my dreams are almost unobtainable.**

**Meh anywho guys tell me what you think of this chapter and where you might want things to go. I enjoy reading what you guys think.**

**Hon Ja ne**

**Aer_Seph4eva x**

**P.S**

**Don't forget to review. Rawr x**


	26. The Summit

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**9,732 Words**

**22 pages**

**Chapter 26**

**The Summit**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Hey guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews. They make me so happy. Anywho I'm not in the mood to ramble today. I want to get straight on with writing this chapter. Mwah!**

**Musical Muses for this chapter.**

**Disney Pocahontas. Haha. Im such a young hearted 22 yr old girl lol x**

**FF7AC Chorale**

**Rurouni Kenshin OVA Soundtrack**

**Enjoy!**

O0o0o0o0

A journey the planet had fated a brave young flowergirl was beyond cruel. Death awaited her if she was but to slip just once. The snowy wind whistled cruelly in her ear, whipping her plaited hair over her face and temporarily blinding her vision. Not that Aeris needed to see where she was going. All she really needed to know was which direction to climb. And that was up. Kadaj her loyal companion was climbing at her side, eager to offer assistance when necessary.

'…_so tired.'_

The physical strain of the journey was weighing on her aching limbs. She had never pushed herself so far before, in such horribly cold conditions. Aeris panted weakly as she clenched her gloved hands across the snowy rock face. She pulled herself up to the next plateau of the mountainous terrain. Her face was glowing red with exertion and pain. She tried to prevent herself from looking down. This was for two reasons. The first reason; she did not want to induce any mental state of vertigo. The second reason, was how she did not want to see the truth that was no-where near the top of the mountain, instead she was still only at the bottom!

The flowergirl sighed. She wearily turned her head to her teenage companion. She blinked as an annoying piece of snow caught in her dark eyelashes, temporarily blinding her for a moment. The brunette cringed knowing that she could not use her hands to wipe it away lest she fall. She tried to blink away the white blots to no avail. However a pale hand came up to remove the white flakes, and Aeris smiled softly as she turned her gaze to the owner of that specific hand. Kadaj beamed beautifully at her. Even though he only had one hand holding his body weight against the mountain, he did not seem tired nor strained. He seemed perfectly at ease, as if climbing icy terrains was a common hobby for him.

The flowergirl shook her head. Kadaj had stopped climbing because she had stopped climbing. He was too nice a person. He was clearly more adept than her with many physical expertises, nevertheless, he climbed along with her at a pace which would have humiliated a snail. But Kadaj did not seem bothered at their lack of progress. His elder brother Yazoo on the elder hand had long since left them. Aeris would not be shocked if the callous male had reached the top of the mountain hours ago.

Aeris sighed softly to herself, visibly struggling to reach for another outcrop of rock to bring her just a few inches closer to her destination. A pale came out to grab at her black gloved one, and instead guide her hand to grasp a less perilous part of the rock face. The flowergirl flushed with warmth, and beamed at the teenager's kind assistance.

At this moment in time, fate had only been cruel and cold to her, and Aeris appreciated any form of genuine kindness from anyone who was willing to help her.

And then they climbed some more.

0o0o0o

She had climbed less than a fifth of the mountain.

She had to stop. She had to. She simply had no more energy. But still…Aeris knew she was nowhere near the top. No kindness on Kadaj's part could encourage her to move anymore. She wanted to go further, but her body had ran out of strength. She wanted to cry she was in so much pain.

Aeris turned watery eyes to her pale haired companion.

"I'm sorry. But…I…I can't go on any further…" Aeris panted brokenly as she dropped to her knees on the icy outcrop that both Kadaj and she were currently resting on. In their current position, the pair were exposed to the icy elements. Aeris clutched her dark blanket around her, concentrating on the simple act of breathing. The higher they climbed, the thinner the air became. The brunette's ardour was vastly declining.

Kadaj rushed to assist his Mother by looking inside his inventory and reaching for his infamous Curative materia. But before his pale fingers curled around the pale green orb, a hideous shriek came from above them. Kadaj whipped his head up, and his eyes dilated at the sight of three monstrous carrion bird creatures flying straight towards them!

Kadaj pulled out Souba, and leapt straight off the rock face, to decimate the trio of feathers in the air. He managed to slay two of them, but unfortunately, the third bird evaded his blade. The creature, enraged how Kadaj had made his comrades fall, released an angry quake attack, which caused the mountain wall to shudder violently. Aeris feared the worst as she looked up, expecting to see the beginnings of an avalanche starting from above.

Fortunately, the earth spell was not powerful enough to create an avalanche above them.

But unfortunately, the attack was still strong enough to shatter the ice beneath her feet.

Aeris cried out in alarm, as she looked up at Kadaj in the air.

And for a split moment, their eyes locked.

And then she fell!

"MOTHER!"

Kadaj screamed when he saw what was happening, and tried to fly down after her. But the remaining carrion bird snagged the teen's foot with its gigantic talons and began flying him high up into the air. Kadaj was now seeing red. He brought Souba down on the bird's legs and he slashed them both off with one strike. The creature howled with pain, and the sound ended on a horrible gurgle when the teen violently slit the bird's neck in fury. Kadaj let himself fall downwards, and his terrified eyes widened sharply when he looked downwards. His heart choked on a breath. He could see his Mother, her precious brown and pink form was rapidly disappearing out of his falling vision. She was going to die!

But what he saw next was his Brother Yazoo, flying headfirst, down the rock face, straight after his Mother.

Where his Brother had materialised from, the teen did not know nor care. And as Kadaj continued to fall lower, time seemed to stop as he watched a sight beneath him that would forever haunt his memory for days to come.

0o0o0o0

Yazoo was bored. Decisively bored. As he had expected, Kadaj was miles and miles behind him, as he was forced to assist a certain useless female. The gunman had stopped climbing and instead sat on a thick slab of rock, which hid his form from view of the many airborne creatures that were hovering in the sky. There were many kinds of monsters, all of different sizes and colours. Dragons.. Insects... Birds… And every single one of them seemed to have been mutated by the stench of mako in the air. The gunman sighed, and looked at his velvet nightmare that he protectively held at his side. He pondered at the idea of shooting down the flying demons assailing the air. But the gunman knew that such a sport would bore him very quickly. Instead, he sat and waited for the sound of his brother's voice from below. It felt like many hours had passed when he saw a familiar pair knelt together on the rock face, a good few metres below him. From his current location, the gunman knew that his little Brother would not have been able to see his position, but Yazoo's sniper eyes in the icy shadows could see the pair beneath him clearly.

And that was when he saw it.

_Danger_.

Danger in the form of three birds, were heading straight towards Kadaj and the useless girl.

The gunman had acted on instinct. He let go of the rock face, and dived headfirst to aid Kadaj.

He drew his gun out in the air and was ready to shoot the three aerial creatures assaulting his Brother. But it seemed that Kadaj was making easy game of them. Instead, while falling, the gunman eyed the brunette's location. His eyes narrowed in growing irritation as he saw the platform the weak flowergirl was resting on, shatter beneath her. Yazoo was all too aware that Kadaj had his hands full tending to the birds in the air.

This left only one option for Yazoo. It was once more up to him to _**save**_ that foolish woman…._yet_ _again_..

Yazoo knew that if the female died, then Kadaj would fail his mission. And if Kadaj failed his mission….Yazoo knew what would very likely happen would be far from good. Yazoo urged gravity to make him descend faster. He sailed across the icy winds. He was a black and silver smear soaring downwards at death defying speeds. As the flowergirl came within his line of reach, Yazoo skidded down the face of the cliff, below the falling target. At the first opportunity, Yazoo grabbed the flowergirl's waist violently with his left arm, before smashing both his booted feet and his right fist into the rock surface beneath her, to prevent himself from sliding further down the icy rock face.

Yazoo sighed and looked up. It seemed that Kadaj was finishing off the last carrion bird that had attacked him. The gunman then looked to the shuddering bundle held against his left side. In truth, they were both now in a rather precarious position. Yazoo was squatting against the mountain, and Aeris was squished between him and the rock face. Her hands were clutching his narrow shoulders and one of the gunman's thighs were crudely pressed between her legs, making it seem like she was riding him in the most uncomfortable of ways. When the flowergirl's frightened face turned to eye her pale haired saviour, Yazoo revealed every emotion that he was currently feeling towards her.

He was _enraged_.

_Furious_…

'Don't even think about it.' The gunman's glare seemed to scream at her, as if accusing Aeris of intentionally trying to fall to her own death.

Aeris shuddered, too afraid to move. When she felt the ice break, she thought everything was over for her. In what was truly seconds, felt like unforgettable hours of raw fear. Aeris shuddered. She knew she had experienced many death experiences ever since she had left Midgar. Even so, that did not stop her from feeling afraid each time she encountered each danger.

Aeris warily looked into the eyes of her saviour Yazoo. In that moment, her fear for her own mortality overcame her fear for the silver haired gunman himself. 'Thank you,' the flowergirl mouthed weakly. She had suffered too much shock to say anything else.

Understanding her silent words, Yazoo glared at her even harder.

But Aeris met his glare with an even stare.

Deep down, the brunette knew that gunman did not save her out of kindness or warmth towards her person. And Yazoo knew that too.

'_If she died, it meant he died too.__'_

And that was why Yazoo was so angry.

He had never felt the need to be responsible for saving someone else's life before.

The sensation he felt from it were rather…unwelcome..

All he knew was that he never wanted to experience this feeling again.

The familiar sound of another pair of feet smashing into the hard rock beside him awoke the gunman from his darkening thoughts.

"Yazoo! Mother! Are you ok!?" Kadaj panted, as he held onto the mountain. His face seemed much paler than usual. "Are you hurt?"

Aeris did not trust her voice to speak. The only voice she thought she could make was to cry. So instead of speaking, she nodded weakly. She suddenly began to feel rather nervous, as two pairs of uncanny green eyes stared down at her. Their constant staring made the flowergirl feel exposed, weak and vulnerable, and this served to heighten her feeling of exhaustion.

She was just so tired…

The brunette's green eyes dimmed. Her head drooped over the gunman's nearest shoulder. She felt Yazoo's body tense due to her limp action. However the flowergirl simply did not care anymore. Her brain no longer concerned the thought of fearing petty, pretty men, who could only glare, and act weird and creepy around her. She was just too tired to think such irrelevant thoughts anymore. With her nose so close to his neck, the flowergirl gave into the impulse. She sniffed and inhaled his scent. It was clean and masculine. But like the man himself, the smell was unidentifiable to her senses.

The brunette's mind was getting hazy. What she wanted more than anything was a nice warm bed with soft covers where she could sink into and never feel the need to rise from again.

Her eyelashes fluttered, once…

Twice…

The third time her lid closed fully, and this time she did not awaken.

Aeris was asleep.

0o0o0o0

Two sets of mako tainted eyes looked down at the slumbering girl, and then they looked at each other.

"Mother is asleep!" Kadaj exclaimed, as if the event was something that was totally foreign for him to witness.

Yazoo fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Let me carry her Brother. I will climb to the summit with her on my back," Kadaj said calmly, expecting the gunman to hand the brunette over without question.

Yazoo was about to comply to the young teen's words, but suddenly he had a change of heart. "No," the gunman said simply, as he pulled his right fist out of the wall. Now he was only using his feet implanted in the rock to keep him and the unconscious brunette from falling off the mountain.

The teen's brows jumped up into his hairline. "No?" Kadaj echoed, not expecting to hear such a response from his Brother.

"No," Yazoo repeated calmly.

"NO!?" Kadaj was getting upset now, and the gunman could tell Kadaj emotional outbursts would not help matters. He tried to distract the teen by making him focus on the problem at hand.

"Kadaj, give me the rope that's in your bag. I will swing the woman around. What I want you to do is bind her hands together, then tie her waist to mine. That way her arms can go around my neck and I can climb unaided whilst carrying her on my back."

The teen seemed ready to disagree with Yazoo's plan. Kadaj was ready to disagree with any plan which made Yazoo seem like the better son. "Yazoo, why don't you use the rope and instead tie Mother to me?"

This time Yazoo rolled his eyes. "We need to get to the summit Kadaj. Whether you are the one to carry her, or me, that is indeed irrelevant. Although, since I am carrying her at this very moment in time, it only seems logical that I should be the one who continues this duty. And since it is you who has a bag, which I know, contains rope inside, it seems more than logical for you to be the one to tie this woman to my back. Unless you wish to see her fall again, I recommend using the rope little Brother."

Kadaj bared his teeth at elder male. Yazoo's logical way of thinking always made so much sense that it sent the teen reeling with anger. "Why can't we wait til Mother wakes up, then we can let her decide who she'd rather have carry her?" The teen did not doubt whose company his Mother preferred.

Yazoo chuckled softly. His younger Brother was being predicatively possessive of the brunette in his arms. As was to be expected. To Yazoo, it was almost amusing. "Are you jealous of me Kadaj? You are jealous of this burden in my arms? You see, that is all I see of her little Brother. She is a burden to me, nothing more. My intentions at this moment in time are born of logic, nothing else."

Kadaj wanted to punch something so desperately, most preferably his older Brother. But he reigned in his temper. If his punched his Brother, then he might drop his Mother!

"Arguing with me will not change things Kadaj. Unless you care nothing for this woman, you will do as I say. Get some rope and bind her hands."

Kadaj was still seething, but did as he was asked. It seemed against his Brother, he could never win.

"Now tell me Kadaj, are her hands secure? I want you to put the woman's arms over my head, and then bring her body around my back."

Kadaj did so with a vicious glare on his face.

"Now use some more rope to tie her waist to mine."

The young swordsman's shoulder's were quaking with pent up fury as he knotted the rope around the flowergirl and his Brother. Kadaj secretly wished he could have used the rope to garrotte Yazoo instead. When Yazoo was sure that the flowergirl was secure on his back, and that the brunette's arms would not interfere with his climbing, the gunman began an impressive quick ascent up the icy rock face. Kadaj quickly climbed on from behind. All the while, the young swordsman did not even bother to hide his envy. The green eyed monster was glaring at his elder brother, cursing him to all seven levels of hell.

'_It was so not fair!'_

At this current moment, Kadaj despised Yazoo with every breath he took.

Kadaj knew that everything he had with his Mother was perfect, till Yazoo came and ruined it all. Now Kadaj felt like the third wheel. It did not help matters that this was now the second time Yazoo had decided what was happening on HIS MISSION!

'You bastard.' Kadaj seethed, as he eyed the pair above him. Logically, Kadaj was aware that being of a shorter stature, that put him at a slight disadvantage to Yazoo's impressive height. And although his Mother was not tall, he knew Yazoo would find it much easier to climb with her than he, due to his longer limbs, not that Kadaj would ever admit that to him.

An all too familiar squalling sound of an aerial creature, caused the teen to roll his eyes. Souba was out again in an instant. Frustration quickly evolved into fury at the sight of another bird monster, which had feasted its sights on his group.

Kadaj released a loud war cry and threw himself off the rock face and straight towards the feather brained creature. The monster was a perfect way for Kadaj to release all his pent up fury at the situation between his Mother and his Brother. The bird died quicker than Kadaj had intended. He was almost annoyed at how weak the monster was when he was ready for a more challenging fight. As the bird began its death descent to the ground. Kadaj, used its bulky body, to aid his momentum, so he could leap back against the icy rock face. When Kadaj looked up, he realised that Yazoo had not even stopped to wait for him despite the fight.

Kadaj shook his head viciously fuming. He made sure to climb even faster now to catch up with his elder Brother. As he climbed, the teen forced himself to see the logical side of this present situation. The teen was well aware that his Brother's setup enabled him to fight off any on coming aerial enemies, while Yazoo protected Aeris. However the more Kadaj tried to see the logic of Yazoo's plan, this only seemed to heighten the illogicalness in other areas! The way Kadaj saw it, Yazoo was a _gunman_. Being a gunman, he was the one who possessed a _long_ _range_ _weapon_, unlike he! Kadaj knew that his sword was more suited for close combat, and more preferably on the ground. But more importantly than that, Kadaj knew that he cared so much more for his Mother than Yazoo ever could.

'_It was just not fair!'_

Kadaj did not know how much more he could take of this.

0o0o0o0

Aeris awoke many hours later laying across the rocky ground. She blinked hazily as she looked around at her unrecognisable surroundings. She shivered and drew her dark blanket around her. It seemed she was in some form of cave, which was lit up with the purest shades of raw mako. The sight was indeed breathtaking to witness. The gentle glow of silvery green painted across the rock and even threaded in the air was an example of nature's beauty. Aeris knew that if she was to listen, she could hear the strong hum of the planet throbbing in her ears. Unfortunately being only half Cetra, Aeris could not understand the words.

"Mother?"

At the sound of a familiar voice, Aeris blinked and looked to her right side. Kadaj was kneeling across from her, and seemed to be amusing himself by throwing small pebbles into the mako fire he had created to keep the flowergirl warm.

"Are you okay?" The teen added softly.

The brunette thought about the question. She felt a little drained, hungry and cold, but in truth she did feel okay. Aeris nodded, to which the swordsman beamed.

"Ah, so she has finally awoken. What a _lazy_ woman."

Aeris felt her shoulder's freeze at an all too familiar drawling voice.

"Yazoo!" Kadaj exclaimed, as he turned incensed eyes on the elder male across from him..

Aeris flushed red, and turned to her left side, where Yazoo was perched rather comfortably on a rock protruding from the ground. One of his long legs was lazily swinging a few inches from the ground. All the while, his eyes remained focussed on his velvet nightmare positioned on his arm. The sight was almost repulsive. It seemed insane how the gunman always seemed to appear so horribly elegant without even trying. Even after all their travelling and fighting, Yazoo did not even have a single hair out of place. Aeris had to turn her head away in slight envy. She eventually drew her attention back to the younger teen on her right.

"So where are we now Kadaj? I can't seem to remember-" The brunette paused in her thoughts. The last thing Aeris remembered was climbing up the difficult icy mountain trail. Then the ground shatter beneath her, and she remembered falling.

She thought she was going to plummet to her death.

And then Yazoo caught her.

That last realisation in her memory was alarming in itself. The flowergirl's face burned, knowing that this was the second time Yazoo has seen her at her most weakest. The realisation was maddening as it was sobering. If it was not for Yazoo, then Aeris knew she would not have survived the fall. With that thought in mind, Aeris plucked up the courage to sneak a glance at the pale haired gunman before turning her attention back to Kadaj.

"We are almost there Mother," Kadaj reassured her. "We are inside Gaea's cliff now. We just need to head up a little higher. But we are less than a day away from the Sanctuary!"

The flowergirl blinked. She was unsure whether she had heard right. When she repeated Kadaj's words inside her head. Something strange happened. Her smile grew, and before she knew it, a loud sound erupted from her mouth.

She was laughing!

"Really!? We are almost there?!" Aeris cackled. Her companions looked at her as if she had truly lost her mind. Deep down she knew they were close, she just was not sure how close.

Kadaj's eyes widened at his Mother's spontaneous reaction. The flowergirl's happiness was infectious. Before Kadaj realised it. He too was laughing. However it seemed whatever spell the demi-Cetra had created, Yazoo was immune to it. He stared between the brunette and his Brother in clear confusion. He had no idea what they thought was funny. He frowned in puzzlement. This brunette continued to be an enigma to him. Her strange attitude and mannerisms… disturbed his placid ways of thinking. In truth, Yazoo did not like the changes the girl seemed to evoke in him. He did not like that fact at all.

And as Aeris continued to laugh, she felt her anxious fears begin to slowly crumble away. She could not believe it! She had finally reached the top of the summit! She was almost there. The brunette held a hand to her mouth. It must have been due to the lack of air in the cave but the flowergirl could not stop giggling. She knew it was mostly out of relief than anything else. There had been so many moments when Aeris truly believed she was going to fail in her mission. Her limbs were still aching in places they had never even ached before. Her body still had not adjusted to the coldness of the mountain. Her teeth were chattering a cold tune, and she kept on rubbing her shoulders. But those facts were not important now. The only thing the brunette found important was this. She was still alive, and she was almost there. She had not failed the Planet, and she had not failed Sephiroth. She was going to do this. She was going to find a way to create happiness for everyone. She was going to succeed

Aware that Kadaj was sharing her experience of delight, Aeris grabbed the young teen and hugged him happily, completely oblivious to the pale haired gunman watching her actions with acute awareness.

"Well shouldn't we be continuing on? Why are we still waiting here when we are almost there!?" Aeris asked eagerly, as she leapt up and urged Kadaj to his feet. Yazoo raised a wry brow at the brunette passionate antics before standing himself. In truth he could not deny that the girl had the power to grab his attention despite his many attempts to remain passive and disinterested of her person. Yazoo openly watched as Aeris fussed and jabbered with his younger Brother, hugging and patting at the teen's nose with fond attentiveness. At the sight of the pair, something strange and foreign inside him stirred.

It was an emotion Yazoo was wholly not accustomed with.

_**Jealousy**_.

His eyes narrowed at that internal realisation. Yazoo knew he could repeat to himself a thousand times that he did not care for the flowergirl. Nevertheless that could not explain his erratic emotions. Yazoo had never experienced such a deep emotion from within, and so he had no idea how to deal with it. The gunman sneered to himself, and tried to think of other things. He forced himself to concentrate only on preparing himself for the final part of their journey in the caves, all the while avoiding looking at the flowergirl coddling his little Brother when possible. But such a feat proved to be almost impossible when Kadaj and Aeris waltzed in front of him hand in hand, leaving him to trail them from behind. More than once, his mako tainted eyes unconsciously wandered up the brunette's frame before he caught himself. He flushed in cold irritation, realising that his eyes kept on being drawn to her figure, like a moth to a flame. He felt disgusted with himself. He clenched his gloved hands in agitation. He truly did not understand why he was getting so annoyed. His thoughts were becoming more illogical by the minute. He could no longer understand his mental reasoning. It made no sense.

He glared at the pair between them who seemed too happy to walk side by side. Hand in hand.

The sight bothered him immensely.

What he wanted to know was….

'_Why?'_

'_Why am I jealous?'_

It wasn't like he wanted to hold the brunette's hand. Far from it.

A sudden image of her naked flesh flashed through his mind, and he involuntary shuddered.

Yazoo only allowed himself to think one thought,

And that was how much he loathed her right now.

Truly, irrevocably, _**loathed**_ her.

Now that was a thought he could deal with.

0o0o0o0

**Midgar: President Shinra's Office**

0o0o0o0

At the sight of his blonde date, Rufus smiled with genuine relief. This was the first time a woman had actually turned up looking reasonably attractive for him and not looking like she had emerged from a Honey Bee Inn Brothel. In a simple sleeveless shirt and a knee length pencil skirt, Elena looked more ready for a day at the office than a candlelit meal for two. The only sign that the Turk had attempted to look pretty was the small tint of lip gloss which coloured her mouth a delicate baby pink, and the tiny studs which shyly glittered from her ear lobes.

Elena looked down at the table. It seemed that the Shinra catering company had gone all out for the President tonight. Their dining table had been beautifully prepared. The dark oak table was covered with a crimson tinted table runner and upon it the best china and crockery were gleaming out at her in hues of rich crystal and silver. An array of fruits were accompanied with different kinds of sliced meats, lobster, bread rolls and a rather aromatic broth which was centred in the middle of the table. Elena felt almost overwhelmed by the luxury of it all. If it was any other time, the Turk might have fallen in love with the rich opulence which was offered in front of her. Instead, she felt unsettled.

The thought of her wounded leader brought the blonde's mind back to the current reason of her mental upset. No silly dinner from the President could make would make the Turk feel better. Not when Tseng had been gravely injured. Elena mentally sighed to herself when the President invited her to sit down, before seating himself on the opposite side of the table.

The President delivered a roguish smile at his companion, and then poured wine for the both of them. When he passed the glass to the Turk, she accepted it graciously, but made no attempt to drink, nor eat much to the amusement of the male blond. He drew back in his seat and watched the female. His penetrating gaze did not seem to intimidate the blonde as he expected. She seemed distracted, as if she did not want to be there.

It was very rare for a female not to be leaping into the President's rich and bountiful lap.

It was a much comfortable change for him.

"Elena, how are you feeling this evening?" Rufus asked cordially as he sipped the dark claret liquid from his glass.

Blue eyes caught the way the blonde averted her gaze from his avid attention.

"I'm fine," Elena responded, as she shifted in her seat.

"Good," Rufus replied, as he continued to enjoy his drink.

The table became unhealthily silent.

"President sir-"

"Call me Rufus," The blond male interjected. He was feeling rather magnanimous with the female before him today. He would have blamed the wine and not the company. In truth, Rufus knew it was more to do with his painkillers that had recently taken effect in his system. It was very rare for him not to feel any pain from the mako shots that Hojo had administered to him over the last few months. Tonight seemed to be a lucky night for him.

"R-Rufus," Elena began uncomfortably. "Can you tell me why you sent Tseng out unaccompanied on his last mission?"

The President raised a brow, and paused in his drinking. 'Ah…' Now things were becoming much clearer. "What happened to Tseng was unexpected and unfortunate."

"You did not answer my question," Elena said, as she twisted a napkin between her hands. It was clear she was distressed by her Director's current incapacitation.

Rufus sighed. "None of my associates were aware that Sephiroth was currently located in the southern borders. Do not worry Elena, Shinra's medics are the best on the planet. Tseng will be healed up in no time"

"But you should have had backup for him!" Elena exclaimed. "This did not have to happen!"

"If I had sent backup, they would have all returned comatose like Tseng, or most likely, dead."

At that Elena went silent.

The President looked at the honey eyed assassin sat before him. "Remember who is in charge here Elena," He said calmly, as he swirled his wine in his glass.

"I'm sorry for angering you sir-" The Turk apologised quickly.

"Angering me?" Rufus asked. "You have done no such thing. Be at ease."

Elena tried to relax, but failed.

"Elena, are you not aware that this food here is simply not for show. Usually the purpose of a dinner is to dine?" Rufus mocked in jest, as he leant across the table to pick up a Kaiser roll. "Have you already eaten?"

Elena shook her head.

"Then etiquette demands you to eat with me," Rufus remarked with a smile. He seemed more amused than Elena had ever seen him. In truth, it set the young Turk on edge. Seeing it best to comply with her President's demands for now, Elena picked up a slice of meat and warily began to eat.

0o0o0o0o

**Back on the Northern** **Continent**

0o0o0o0o

"Not again!" Aeris cried out, as she rubbed her arms with her gloved hands. It seemed the entire cave was ridden with poisonous monsters. Unfortunately, many had a fondness for biting her, despite most of her skin being covered with her blanket. Yazoo sighed behind her, and calmly cast Esuna, the only magick Kadaj did not seem to have on his possession. The pair watched as Kadaj finished off the remaining bugs in the area. Aeris all the while scratched her arms. Even though Yazoo had removed the poison element from her blood system, that did not mean the bites did not stop itching.

All the while, Yazoo watched the brunette, with eyes glaring in derision.

'Now what's his problem?' The flowergirl thought to herself, wondering why the pale haired gunman always acted so strange around her. She really could not understand the man. In truth, Yazoo was an extremely un-likable character. Aeris always believed that when someone disliked you, you usually had to do something untoward them. It seemed with Yazoo this was not the case. Assuming the elder male was irritated as she had not yet thanked him for his most recent white healing spell, Aeris corrected her error immediately.

"Erm thanks Yazoo?"

At the sign of her gratitude, the silver haired gunman seemed even more annoyed.

Aeris rolled her eyes. This man was ridiculous. She did not understand why Yazoo was always so horrible to her. He obviously did not like her. But despite this fact, Aeris knew that if it wasn't for him, she would have fallen to her untimely death. The brunette sighed to herself. The gunman was such a walking contradiction. "God help the woman who is unluckily enough to end up with you," the words slipped out of her mouth before she had time to register them, and Aeris gaped at the icy look that was directed her way.

"You assume I will let any women near my person in the future," Yazoo remarked slowly, as he moved his eyes away from the brunette to watch his Brother finishing off the last bug creature in the area before jogging back to them.

The flowergirl smirked, as an amusing thought suddenly came to her. It seemed things were beginning to make much more sense to her now. This thought was something she had not considered before. "Well excuse me for not realising you have no interest in women," Aeris answered with a sly wink. The way she insinuated it, made it appear that Yazoo had an interest for the other gender.

The gunman's mako tainted eyes flared in warning. Aeris' face faltered. She almost thought she had pushed the warrior too far. Then slowly, Yazoo's pale lips curled upwards in genuine amusement. Yazoo actually chuckled, before brushing past her to cast Esuna on his younger Brother, leaving the brunette baffled yet relieved at the same time..

' _This woman thinks her silly words can affect me. She really is an amusing creature.'_

Reassured that their current zone of the cave was now monster free, Kadaj gestured Aeris to join him, and then they continued on. The brunette smiled and jogged to the teen's side. Aeris knew that she would have tried to kill herself long before if she had been forced to travel alone with Yazoo. In the past, Aeris knew she used to ponder the mystery between Kadaj and '_Him_'. Now when she thought about it, she came to this unusual conclusion. It seemed to her that Kadaj seemed to convey all of Sephiroth's likable traits. However it seemed Yazoo possessed all of Sephiroth's less desirable ones. Again, Aeris was genuinely grateful for Kadaj's warmth and kindness. It was something she knew she could always rely on. Aeris knew she trusted Kadaj completely. The moment that Yazoo came into the picture, Aeris realised the true value of having someone like Kadaj around. He really was a light to her, guiding her along, keeping her thoughts bright and happy. Yazoo on the other hand was more like a shadow in the darkness. His present was always there in her peripheral vision. She could not ignore him. He always remained disconcertingly near. In a way he embodied the ominous gloom that pervaded her journey of hope and light. His soul presence reminded her of the potential dangers that seemed to follow her were ever present.

They were moving further inside the cave now. Every now and then, Kadaj would tell the flowergirl to stop, as he and Yazoo killed any threats lurking in the darkness. And then they would continue on. Aeris realised the air seemed to be getting heavier that she could even see a thick white mist growing in the air. There also seemed to be a strong wind blowing towards them. Aeris relied wholly on Kadaj and Yazoo to guide her through the mako-lit cave. It seemed the silver haired pair knew where they were going, and for that Aeris was relieved. The mist seemed to be getting thicker. Now it was tainted green with the mako surrounding them. At the thought of the mako, Aeris grabbed a hand to her chest. She could feel the pulsing of the planet's breath all around her. The voices she could hear. They were…greatly distressing even though she could not make out specific words. However while she could not understand the language of the planet, Aeris could clearly make out the emotions, because she could feel it inside herself, as if the planet's feelings were her own. And what Aeris felt was this… The planet…it was in pain. It was crying. The further she moved inside the cave, the louder the planet's wailing grew. Aeris visibly cringed. She could not block out the sounds. They were beginning to affect her heart and mind. She was feeling dizzy and sick with the emotions surrounding her. The flowergirl hated the thought of anything or anyone being in pain, especially if she could not help them.

When Kadaj thrust a bar of chocolate in her face, the brunette blinked almost broke from her painful daze. She painfully declined the kind offer. She had no appetite now. Sorrow and pain were the only things she could currently taste on her lips now.

"You sure Mother? You haven't eaten anything," Kadaj remarked with concern. "Are you sure you would not like to rest a little while instead then?"

Aeris shook her head. She was beginning to feel unwell. The air did not smell right at all. Aeris wasn't sure if it was the stench of the mako that was bothering her or something else.

"We are almost there Kadaj, it seems folly to let '_Him_' wait any longer for her than necessary," Yazoo remarked dryly, as the trio continued to move through the mako mist where the wind blew most strongest. It was here, that the group saw something most fascinating.

"Look over there Brother, more of our relatives are late for the reunion," Yazoo said softly as he watched the jumbling mass of dark cloaked bodies stumbling up the rocky cliffs towards the same windy summit they were heading towards.

Illness momentary forgotten, Aeris visibly eeked in horror at the sight of them, she took a few steps backward, almost bumping into Yazoo. A sudden unpleasant memory came to her during her time in the Shinra Mansion. "I- I saw one of these in Nibelheim. What are they?" The flowergirl gasped. Her eyes had grown wide with awe and fear. She had no idea what she was witnessing. It seemed like a congregation of some sort where all the strange cloaked beings were hovering right at the precipice of the windy opening.

Surprisingly it was Yazoo who answered her. "They are our Brother and Sisters." Aeris gaped at Yazoo, not expecting such a response. She turned her head to look at Kadaj, assuming he would be just as surprised as her. However, Kadaj did not share the brunette's shock. He had always known who these cloaked individuals were to him. "These beings here are all bound to Sephiroth one way or the other. His presence has made them all attend. These ones are a little late though."

"Your Brother and Sisters?" Aeris echoed as she stared at the group of dark cloaked beings. They were all ringed around the huge crevasse in the ground where the source of the wind came from. Aeris noticed that while some looked clearly of human origin, some looked suspiciously monstrous. However they all seemed connected by their dark robes and pale hair. Then Aeris thought back to the gunman's words. "What the?"

A ghost of a grin appeared on the gunman's face. "Do not worry yourself about such things. I am sure '_He_' will answer any question you ask of him."

The flowergirl furrowed her eyebrows. "_He_? You mean Sephiroth?" Aeris asked, as Yazoo guided them even closer towards the congregation of dark clothed beings.

Kadaj and Yazoo nodded simultaneously as they watched the deluge of cloaked bodies who were congregating at the top of the windy summit in front of them. They seemed totally oblivious to her presence.

Aeris turned her gaze from her companions to look at an even more horrifying sight.

"What are they doing?!?!" Aeris exclaimed in horror, as she saw one draw out a dagger and slash its own throat. Soon after one started, it started a chain reaction.

The mass of dark haired creatures were simultaneously committing suicide by throwing themselves inside the gale storm and down into the unknown mako depths below.

Aeris placed a trembling hand over her mouth. She had just witnessed an orgy of death.

Aeris turned to Yazoo for answers. When he said nothing, she turned towards Kadaj. "What happened?!? What's going on.? Why are they doing this?!"

Kadaj smiled at his Mother. He vaguely had an idea what his Mother was thinking. "In truth it really isn't as bad as it looks," the teen admitted, as he watched another surge of cloaked individuals catapult themselves into the dark, windy abyss.

"W-what?" Aeris looked now in horror at the teen before her. Then back at the suicidal cloaked beings who seemed more than happy to fall to their unknown deaths. The flowergirl was getting scared now. What she was seeing was unnatural. Memories of the night of the Nibelheim reactor resurfaced once more in her mind.

And his dark words soon returned to her.

Sephiroth had told her the way to reach the Sanctuary…to meet his Mother…to meet **Him**…was through death!

And it seemed…that despite travelling all the way to the North…going through endless forests and icy mountains of death….she had come to realise the same truth…

'_Was this all a lie? '_

'_Was death the only way to reach the Reunion?'_

The more cloaked beings she saw give themselves up to the planet, the more the brunette realised that her thoughts must have been the honest truth.

'…_which means…'_

"You lied," Aeris accused Kadaj, as she suddenly turned on him. "You lied!" She called out in a louder tone. Aeris could not believe it. She trusted the teen. She could not believe how Kadaj would lie to her all this time. He had betrayed her. Kadaj looked positively shocked. He did not expect his Mother to lash out at him this way. "No Mother! I haven't! Let me explain-"

"No!" Aeris exclaimed. "No more lies! You told me that I could reach the Reunion without dying. But from the looks of those men over there, what you said was untrue! How could you betray my trust like that Kadaj?!"

The young teen gaped at her. She had never been so angry at him. Kadaj really did not know what to say. But before he could build up a defence, his elder Brother beat him to it.

"Kadaj has not lied to you," Yazoo yawned calmly.

Aeris whirled on the elder male. "And how can I trust anything you say? You seem like you would rather harm me than help me!"

"Hmm." Yazoo quirked an eyebrow. He had no more to say on the matter

Suddenly Kadaj dropped to his knees and grabbed at the brunette's hands. "Please Mother. Please give me the opportunity to explain everything to you. I have not lied to you at all. I promised you there is another way to get to the Reunion without dying and there is. This is it!"

The flowergirl did not seem to be buying it. She did not know who to trust anymore. "Then Kadaj please explain why those strange people you call your Brothers and Sisters are casting themselves off into that windy chasm then? Or don't you consider suicide a method of dying?!"

Kadaj tightened his grip on the brunette's hands. He prayed that he could get through to her. "I know the mako winds made it difficult to see what was at the bottom, but the portal to the Sanctuary is here Mother. Please, please believe me." He bowed his head low. Everything depended on this. He had to make his Mother understand otherwise the entire journey would have been in vain.

Kadaj hugged her legs and Aeris stood frozen. She was on the precipice. She had no idea what to do. More figures seemed to be approaching the misty chasm, but they seemed to be waning in number. Aeris looked at individual that jumped. They all seemed so confident to fall to their doom, while some were forced by the eager others that were behind them. As time passed, only a few remaining figures were currently cloistered around the edge of the windy terrain. And in that moment, Aeris' attention was drawn to one specific dark cloaked figure who seemed ready to jump like all the others. But instinct inside her told her that this being seemed different. Due to the turbulent winds whipping the air, it caused the being's dark hood to be thrown off his face, revealing his shadowy features to view. But when Aeris took in all his features. Her face bleached of all emotion.

And that was when she remembered them.

_Those eyes…I recognise those eyes.._

_Haunting mako blue, the very colour of the sky._

Aeris stared at a face she had not seen in many years. Despite his spiked hair which had transformed into an unnatural silver tone, Aeris could easily remember a time when his same wild hair had gleamed a healthy raven black.

Then suddenly, the blue eyed man looked in her direction.

And Aeris' mouth trembled. She had no doubt now.

Despite the silver toned hair, everything was the same as she remembered.

It was him..

It was…

And as recognition dawned in the man's mako tainted orbs, one of the impatient and nameless cloaked men from behind viciously pushed him into the windy crevasse without any warning.

And then Aeris screamed out as the blue eyed male fell straight into the thick mist, and then he was gone.

"Zack!"

Aeris pushed Kadaj off her. With no thought to her safety or her sanity, Aeris tried to run towards the edge of the windy crevasse.

"Zack!"

To be effortlessly pulled back by Yazoo.

Aeris banged at the gunman's arms. She wanted to be free. She just saw Zack. Her lost love from the past and had just fallen…….like so many others to his death. The brunette shuddered. Aeris had no idea what to think anymore. Everything had turned to madness before her very eyes. She was giving up on thinking rational thoughts. It seemed in her life, only insanity prevailed.

"Now listen. I care little if you do not believe my words, or Kadaj's. If you are indeed wise you will listen to them, and you will accept them. For what I say is the truth. What you have been seeing here are my Brothers and Sisters…these are people who have been invited to the Reunion by Sephiroth's will. As you are well aware, the Reunion is taking place in the Sanctuary that does not exist on the crust of this Planet. Now one way to reach this place is through death and travelling through the lifestream. However as we are all very aware about your displeasure with killing, that is why you have been purposely brought here. You see this place is a direct portal straight to the inner sanctum where '_He_' is located. And no, you do not need to die to enter through the portal. Sephiroth's will has made it thus. Now when you enter this portal, you will cross through a tunnel. When you travel to the end of this tunnel, that will be when you have reached the Sanctuary. And now, I will repeat this one more time for I know you are of simple mind. You will not die if you go through this tunnel. You may get lost but you cannot die. The chances of you getting lost are minimal since Kadaj will show you the way. After all, that is why Kadaj was brought here, to guide you to _Him _safely. Now do you understand foolish girl?"

Aeris was trembling. As insane as it was to admit, all she could think about was seeing Zack now. She had thought he had died during the Wutai war. She was getting so emotional. "Will I see Zack? If I jump in there will Zack be on the other side?"

Yazoo sent the brunette an odd look. "Well if you don't jump. You won't find out now, will you?"

Yazoo drew away from the brunette and Aeris watched as the very last cloaked individual plummeted down into the windy depths. Now they were the only three to stand before the windy crevasse.

"See you on the other side little Brother," And then Aeris watched in alarm as Yazoo let himself fall into the white misty abyss with no fear. And then he was gone.

Aeris gaped into the swirling whiteness. She was petrified. When Kadaj came up beside her to grasp her right hand, it did not help to relieve her growing fears. Instead it elevated them.

"I…I don't think I can do this…" Aeris began, ready to take a step back.

"I know you can do this Mother. Just have faith. I promised to never let go of your hand. I'm with you always." Kadaj spoke truly and honestly from the bottom of his heart.

"I really hope you and Yazoo aren't lying about all this." The brunette said, as she warily inched herself to the edge of the crevasse. She looked down but she could see no bottom. She could feel the wind rush at her face, pulling at her ponytail. "I will be really angry if this is just some twisted lemming exercise. You know I don't believe in suicide, don't you?"

Kadaj actually laughed at his Mother's words and he tightened his grasp on his Mother's hand. "Oh Mother. It will be worth it. I promise you it will be painless. I know a really easy way of doing this, lets do it on three okay?"

Aeris could think of no better way to do this, and so she reluctantly nodded. Kadaj squeezed her hand in reassurance.

Kadaj grinned. "Okay then, -1."

Aeris gulped uneasily.

"-2."

Aeris closed her eyes.

"3!"

And Kadaj fearlessly leapt off the platform, taking a screaming Aeris with him.

**Whew Cliff-hanger. Now this is something I have had planned for a long, long time lol x Tell me guys what you think of this chapter. I really enjoyed writing this one. Things are getting so much weirder. I'm sure those who read TLAA1 might have wondered where my Zack went. Well lets just say he was slowly making his way to the Reunion like so many others who are connected to Sephiroth and Jenova. **

**Review x Review x**

**Ja ne**

**Aerseph4eva**


	27. The Sanctuary

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**12070 Words**

**31 pages**

**Chapter 27**

**The Sanctuary**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Whew. I don't know about you guys but I'm really looking forward to writing this chapter. Afterall, this is it! Aeris is finally going to the Sanctuary. Soon she will get to see Sephiroth. In truth it feels like its been years since I have properly written Aer and Seph together…even though for the timeline for this fic, Aeris has been parted from him less than a month! LOL X**

**Musical Muse.**

**Now I have to say the FF7ACC soundtrack really helped me write this chapter. Without it, I would have been totally at a loss for inspiration. If any of you guys have not heard the 'Daybreak' ffvii theme, youtube it. It's so creepily wonderful. The ACC variant of the FFVII main theme is brilliant too. I don't know about you guys, but I love listening to remixes of my favourite songs. I am awfully fond of the FF remixes they have used in Dissidia x**

**Anywho enough of my ramblings!**

**And on with fic x**

0o0o0o0o0

Undecipherable shapes were swirling and dancing around within a tunnel of madness. Sounds and voices, both recognisable and non, pervaded her hearing. It felt so strange that while the world seemed to be moving fast in a downwards spiral…her entire body remained uncannily still at the centre of the insanity. Flashes of colours and half broken images teased the flowergirl's vision. Nothing she was seeing seemed to make any sense. Trees evolved to stars, and mountains melted into seas. The logic that was time had now became a forgettable lapse in the planet's memory. Everything seemed to thrive with insanity. The only thing that grounded the flowergirl's conscious thought on rationality, was the firm and very secure grip of Kadaj's hand held tightly around her own.

As she continued her psychotic descent with her teenage companion, a whirl of twilight stars temporarily bedazzled the brunette's eyes. As the kaleidoscope of colourful spots slowly faded from her vision, Aeris turned amazed eyes to her falling companion, whose silvery hair seemed to catch the iridescent colours of their unique universe whirling around them. The colours of the lifestream danced crazily around his pale features. At that moment Aeris realised Kadaj was her only anchor to the real world, as they both continued to spiral through the endless images of time.

Then as the sea of worlds dancing around her evolved into calmer hues of mako green, Aeris realised something rather unusual about her silver haired companion. It seemed the mako in the air was responding to the mako flowing in his veins. Kadaj's eyes looked so much greener than she had ever seen them before. Their intense colour penetrated her vision. And just like a moth, Aeris was unconsciously drawn to the beauty of their luminous glow.

And all the while, as they moved within the colourful passageway of time, Kadaj's eyes never left hers.

And Aeris never let go of his hand.

As the pair descent downwards together, hand in hand, the tunnel around them shifted with colours tainted with darkness and mako light. Aeris never noticed the moment when Kadaj took a hold of her other hand. However what Aeris did notice that all the while, as they sailed slowly downwards, Kadaj never stopped smiling at her. At this present moment, Aeris could not understand why she had initially feared travelling through this strange portal when Kadaj's face seemed so childishly lit up with joy. When Kadaj smiled at her, the flowergirl felt no reason to fear.

And as they continued to gently fall…

Aeris watched as Kadaj moved his lips to speak, but for reasons she could not understand, Kadaj's words were mute of sound. However disarmingly so, despite hearing no sound, Aeris heard the word in her soul.

"Birth?" Aeris echoed to him.

Kadaj grinned and nodded.

"Yes. Birth."

The teen's repeated use of the word birth made no sense to her. She could not understand the context of the meaning. The flowergirl had no idea what Kadaj was going on about. All too soon, Aeris felt a tug and then Kadaj was guiding her towards the direction of the fading colours amassing against one side wall of the tunnel. Aeris let herself be pulled towards the growing, pale white light.

As she passed through the light.

Something strange happened.

The sudden lack of colour was the first sign to Aeris that something had drastically changed around her. She also became aware of growing the density of her own bodyweight, something she wasn't quite well aware of before.

Her body was getting so much heavier.

But despite the heaviness, Kadaj's hands over her own did not loosen their grip.

Aeris realised that the air around them was getting thicker. It was getting denser. It was getting harder to breathe. Aeris soon realised what was happening. The air was not getting denser. It was instead shifting into a different form… into something which could only be described as a miracle.

"_The air…The air has transformed into water?"_

The flowergirl immediately panicked, fearing the thought of drowning to death.

She closed her eyes and held her breath. She knew there was no air, and so she could not logically breathe. And yet despite this truth… Aeris continued to live.

"_What…is happening?"_

Despite the watery madness and her incessant fear of drowning, Kadaj all the while kept his hold on both of her hands. His grip never lessened. Then slowly, as her panic soon began to wane, the brunette fully gave herself to the experience the planet was offering her. Aeris was underwater, and yet she could still breathe.

Aeris and Kadaj were journeying through the seas of time together. Now instead of falling they were now floating. And as she floated in the world's lifestream, all the while, Aeris tried to kept her eyes closed and her mind focussed.

When she next had the courage to finally open them, the world around her was not like the world she had recognised moments before.

'_White…everything is soo white…' _Her eyes caught the green of Kadaj's brightly lit orbs in the water. The brunette let the teen guide her upwards gently using small kicking motions with his legs. Everything felt so weird. Aeris could not understand how she could be swimming underwater while being able to breathe at the same time. The experience was bizarre to say the least. Aeris knew she had a phobia of swimming ever since Sephiroth threw her into the sea at Costa Del Sol…Nevertheless, for reasons the flowergirl could not explain… the unusual experience of moving through this breathable- water was so very calming, and with Kadaj guiding her through the currents of time, Aeris felt no reason to fear.

And then Kadaj looked at her and said three words. Again there was no sound but she heard the voice in her mind.

"Hold your breath."

The brunette's eyes widened. She barely had chance to do such an action, before Kadaj kicked his legs upwards and swam up them up even higher. His powerful legs were ascending them both upwards, and higher and higher towards the light. There was a visible pop. And then it happened. Being out of the realm of the lifestream's protective barrier, Aeris' eyes widened as her lungs began to fill with real water. Panic stricken, Aeris kicked out. She was drowning. She was sinking. Aeris terrified orbs met Kadaj's. For the first time she had known him, Kadaj was not looking at her, instead he was looking upwards.

He knew they were so close…

Just a little further…

_Almost_ there…

And then it happened.

They both broke through the surface of the water!

Kadaj inhaled a large gulp of air, allowing his starved lungs to absorb the necessary oxygen that craved. With his head now above water, Kadaj turned to smile at his Mother, to then balk in horror, at the sight of her unconscious head bobbing facedown in the water alongside him.

"Mother!" Kadaj cried as he struggling to keep the brunette's head above the surface. Eyeing pale land near him, the teen powerfully kicked them both to the sandy white shore. Panting with weak exertion, Kadaj scrambled on top of his Mother, beating at her chest to expel water from her lungs to no avail.

"Move aside…" A familiar voice commanded him.

Kadaj gasped and turned his head to see Yazoo and many of his other Brothers and Sisters, both recognisable and none, staring at him and the unconscious flowergirl on the white shore, almost like they were some form of spectacle. The teen almost yelped when Yazoo ruthlessly pushed him out of the way and onto his ass in the sand.

"Hey!" Kadaj cried.

The elder male ignored his younger brother's exclamation. Instead, Yazoo went down to his knees and began compressing the brunette's wet chest. After every third compression, he inhaled a large breath of air and forced his lips over the flowergirl's, to breathe life into the her lungs.

It wasn't long before the sound of someone hacking up water filled the empty void in the air, and Yazoo leant back, pleased with his work, as he watched a now very conscious Aeris laying on her side, and coughing up all the water that had previously filled her lungs. As Yazoo had trapped himself into a temporary vacant daze, after witnessing the revival of the alive but still remarkably weak and soggy female, he was partially shocked when he was rudely forced to the side in the sand by his anxious younger brother Kadaj.

"………"

Yazoo allowed himself to be moved, and he watched in stillness as Kadaj brought his arms around the weak brunette to lift her up and off the white shore. Then without looking back, Yazoo watched Kadaj carry the weak flowergirl past the throng of silver haired masses that littered the shore and towards the direction of their home. Those who stood in Kadaj's way all consciously opened a path for him.

When Kadaj and Aeris disappeared out of sight, that was when Yazoo realised he was still half sprawled out on the damp sand. All the while, his face remained blank with thought and emotion. And Yazoo was not the only one. Many others like him continued to sit or lay in places across the plain white beach; their minds scattered by revelations or united by one single question. '_Why were they here?'_

The gunman sighed wearily, and was about to rise himself to his feet. But then he paused. Yazoo noticed something unusual glistening on the sand. The gunman's eyes narrowed. It looked like a small pearl of some sort. When the gunman picked it up and drew it up to his vision, his eyes sharpened at the familiarity of the shape.

"Materia…"

Yazoo knew he had seen the weak girl playing with the tiny orb in the past. If he remembered correctly, the tiny trinket was something the silly girl used as a gaudy hair accessory. The orb was remarkably small, and as Yazoo attempted to rouse magical activity from the materia, but to his confusion, the orb remained unremarkably inactive. The gunman's bored eyes gazed from the orb and then towards the sea that he, Kadaj and so many others had all risen from. The gunman began to move his left arm back to throw the useless item away, and as he moved it forward, something stopped him. He looked back down at the materia orb. He swore that in the reflection of the crystallised mako, he could see the flowergirl's face smiling back at him. The gunman recoiled. Suddenly, the impulsive thought to discard the flowergirl's item was replaced with the impulsive thought to keep it for himself. Pocketing the tiny white orb, Yazoo stood up and eyed the place he now recognised as home…The Sanctuary, or how he more commonly recognised it…. as a pseudo promised land.

As Yazoo looked around, his eyes could not catch anything that was contrary. Everything seemed the same as he remembered it before. From the sands… the waters.. The buildings and the people who resided within them. Everything was plain. Everything was white, boring, dismal, perfunctorily bland. Nothing seemed to capture his interest.

The gunman sighed and began to idly wander across the shores of the Sanctuary.

Yazoo moved past the laying remnants and broken stories of men who had just recently reached the shores of their fake promised land. As the gunman idly looked from the fake white seas, the fake skies….Yazoo sighed again. Nothing held no appeal to Yazoo anymore. Everything seemed so…fake and boring!

For some, the Sanctuary was a comforting void, and yet Yazoo did not embrace the lies of life around him. In truth, Yazoo knew everything that currently existed in this Neo Promised Land was only an illusion, created by _**Him**_. _Sephiroth_. It disturbed him some days when he tried to remember the times _**before**_ he entered the Sanctuary. But for reasons he could not understand himself…he had no memory of it.. This then caused the gunman to wonder. Yazoo had no idea whether he had always grown up in this strange white world or whether he had been there few months or many years. He assumed that he had once journeyed through the tunnels of time like so many others not unlike himself to find himself laying on the shorelines of this strange white paradise. Yazoo while not being able to remember much of his past, could nevertheless vividly remember the first few days he had travelled alone around the white foreign lands. In many ways the Sanctuary was a dreamlike utopia. A construction based on function only. The Sanctuary had everything that was necessary for a human to thrive. There was water to drink. Trees to chop and burn. Boars and live game to feast on. Everything that was necessary to live a simple life was here in the Sanctuary.

'_Perfect…Perfectly boring…'_

The gunman raised his head. It seemed his wanderings had lured him away from the beach and was now directing him towards the town. As he got closer, Yazoo's mako tainted eyes gazed at the many white huts lined in perfect rows. Each house was identical to the one of the next.

Yazoo like so many others had helped build their own homes with the tools and items Sephiroth had permitted them to use. It was strange how Sephiroth seemed to control everything, and everyone was aware of his presence, and yet no-one had ever had the opportunity to see the face of their God. Despite this fact, everyone in the Sanctuary seemed passive to accept Sephiroth's rule. As long as they had the things they needed to survive, the majority of Sephiroth's followers were happy.

Yazoo sighed again. The Sanctuary had never granted him any form of happiness or peace. Before he knew it, the gunman had grown tired of the place, and all the people within. Nothing seemed to amuse him nor inspire him. In truth the simplicities of the Sanctuary frustrated and confused him. Yazoo was unaware of the purpose of the Sanctuary, and why he, and so many people were there.

And when that day came. That _fated_ _day_ that changed everything. Yazoo had always been aware of the temple that was positioned at the centre of their town. It was a secret that everyone knew about, but few dared to speak about in public. Sephiroth's presence seemed to come only from there, and it led many individuals to wonder why their ruler refused to leave the temple. Those who curiously tried to enter the mystical temple had all failed. Yazoo knew he had once tried walking up the many steps in the past, but a barrier repelled him, and try as he might, the gunman could not even get to the top of the stairs, let alone to the doors of the temple.

But on that _fated day_, it seemed when every resident in the Sanctuary dreamt that night, everyone shared the same dream and heard the same voice. And they were all told the same thing…

Each and every one of them were all to be tested; and to see who was the best. no one was allowed to eat for six days. On the sixth day everyone was going to go through a series of trials. The winner of all the trials would be allowed to enter the temple. Since everyone was had stayed long enough in the Sanctuary were eager to find out the truth behind the riddle of their home, many men and women followed the voice in their head that told them to travel through a forest to the far west of their town. It would be there that the winner would be able to take possession of the _whitestar _that was hidden there. Those who reached the _star_ would be granted the secrets which they so desired from within the temple. Those who failed would be denied access to the truth that every soul sought an answer for. And the question was this… _Why were they all there in the first place?_

Those men and women who tried to complete the test soon realised something most problematic. Beasts of unimaginable fear lived in the forest where the trials took place. Where these numerous beasts came from no one knew. It was rumoured that they were born by the nightmares of Sephiroth himself. Many warriors and innocent civilians died trying to find the _whitestar_. But out of the many that failed, only one individual managed to succeed.

"Kadaj…" Yazoo mumbled to himself, as he thought about the young teen he had come to know as his Brother.

Kadaj was the one to find the _whitestar_. Out of everyone who participated, he got the furthest through the forest in the most quickest time, and felled the most demons using only his strength and mental will. And being one of the youngest to show such skill and bravery, the forest opened its way for Kadaj to collect the ultimate prize, the key to the temple.

Yazoo was aware that there were many men and even women who were jealous of Kadaj's success. Some were even jealous enough to even attempt to steal the _whitestar _off him, but Kadaj easily killed anyone who tried to harm him or take his prized possession off him. Yazoo remembered the day when Kadaj jogged up the temple's steps all the way to the top and revealed the whitestar, to which the temple's doors permitted him access.

What happened in the temple, Kadaj did not tell a soul. Not even Yazoo.

However when Kadaj left the temple, Yazoo remembered that Kadaj said Sephiroth had chosen him for a divine mission to find their 'Mother'. Ever since he was given his Mission, Yazoo knew something had changed in the boy he aptly called Brother. The term Brother came natural to those who lived in the Sanctuary. In truth every resident was well all aware of their connections with each other. It seemed everyone shared the same familial bond. And the longer an individual stayed in the realms of the Sanctuary, the similar everyone would become. It was a little baffling how those who looked like strangers to the world soon began to evolve to take on the same silver hair and acid green eyes like all the others. It seemed everything that was touched by the Sanctuary became something that was more like _**Him**_. Even Yazoo realised he was losing all sense of who he was the longer he had stayed in this strange white world. The gunman could not deny that there was something…unhealthy about the Sanctuary that made you lose reason…..

'_The Sanctuary? What are you really? A safe haven for us all …or a proselytised world where we are all being brainwashed for a grand and devilish scheme…?'_

"…………"

Yazoo shook his head. These days, his mind was wandering far too often for his own liking. But that was indeed the problem with the Sanctuary, since there was such a lack of activity, it caused his unconscious mind to wander to more interesting thoughts and ideas.

And It was these thoughts which unconsciously lured the gunman's feet towards a certain flowergirl who was currently resting in Kadaj's home…

0o0o0o0

"You know, she sort of looks like a baby all wrapped up like that."

Kadaj whipped up his head and turned his head to glare at Loz. "Don't call Mother a baby!" The teen spat angrily at his taller and burlier older brother. Loz seemed unfazed with Kadaj's words.

"But she does!" Loz continued on, as he assessed the flowergirl's condition with critical eyes. Other than her face, the rest of the brunette's figure was wrapped head to toe in blankets. "You've wrapped her up in too many blankets Kadaj. You have Mummified Mother!"

"Shut up!" Kadaj hissed, as he placed another towel over the brunette's body. Since his Mother was wet, Kadaj's first thought was to dry her clothes. But since Kadaj was not brave enough to remove them like Yazoo had in the past, Kadaj instead covered his Mother's body with dry blankets, hoping that the warmth of them would dry out the wetness of her clothes. Unfortunately his plan was not working.

When the entrance of the hut slid open, both Kadaj and Loz whipped their heads up to stare into the cold and unfeeling eyes of Yazoo.

At the sight of the blanket bandaged woman, the gunman shook his head and sighed wearily.

"Kadaj, you need to properly dry the woman first before you attempt to suffocate her under all these blankets." Yazoo remarked dryly. Kadaj balked. "But, aren't these blankets enough to keep her dry?"

The gunman shook his head.

It seemed Kadaj was seriously lacking in the commonsense department.

Yazoo sent a wry look Kadaj's way. "If you say so, but do not cry to me if you wake tomorrow and find out that this girl died from a little head-cold. Remember that this woman's body is incredibly weak to nearly every element on this planet. If its not the snow that will kill her, then it will be the water…what next? Will she suffer from heatstroke, or be blown away by a gust of wind?" The gunman drawled, while sweeping a lock of silver hair across his shoulder.

"I..I heard that Y-Yazoo," Came a muffled voice from under the many blankets. The silver haired trio turned their heads down at the mummified demi Cetra who seemed none too pleased. Due to the way the blankets had been wrapped around her body, her arms were trapped beneath the heavy layers. In truth it was most suffocating as it was stifling.

"Mother! You are alright!" Kadaj exclaimed with glee, pushing Yazoo and Loz out of the way and kneeling at the brunette's side.

"Can someone please get me out of this. I cant move," Aeris voiced weakly.

"Oh sorry Mother," Kadaj apologised, as he began to remove the blankets. "I just wanted to keep you warm and dry, that's all."

Aeris sighed wearily. At least Kadaj had good intentions at least. Unlike his older Brother Yazoo. When Kadaj moved enough blankets that the flowergirl could move, Aeris eventually sat up, and that was when she noticed another stranger in the room. Aeris blinked and looked at him. He was tall, well built man with cropped silver hair. He seemed a little intimidating in stature compared to the lean physique of Yazoo and short height of Kadaj. From looks alone, this silver haired stranger seemed rather dangerous.

"Um…hi?" Aeris squeaked shyly at the tall, unblinking male.

Then suddenly, the silver haired giant's menacing demeanour disappeared when his lips suddenly beamed at her. "Hello Mother!" Loz greeted happily with a deep voice bound heavily with childlike innocence. "Do you know who I am?"

She certainly wasn't expecting that. "Erm…?" Aeris looked between Kadaj and Yazoo for guidance. They simply shrugged at her.

"I…don't know," Aeris replied.

"My name is Loz Mother. Didn't Kadaj nor Yazoo mention me?" The gentle giant turned his attention to his two younger brothers. "Hey guys! Why didn't you let Mother know about me too?"

Yazoo rolled his eyes. "Calm yourself Loz. It simply slipped our minds."

Loz was suddenly before Aeris' beside and then down on his knees. "Well Mother if you ever need me to do anything, whether it's a big thing , or small thing…. Oh when I say big, I also mean heavy, you know.. I can carry pretty heavy things…but that doesn't mean I cant carry light things, I can do that too. But I will do anything which pleases you.."

The flowergirl sweat dropped.

'…_oh gods another Kadaj…'_ Both Aeris and Yazoo thought wearily. Kadaj violently glared at Loz. He did not want to share his Mother's affection with anyone, especially an idiot like his older Brother.

"You need to change your clothes, otherwise you will get ill and eventually die in the very nearby future," Yazoo stated, pointedly distracting Aeris from his foolhardy older Brother. Aeris blinked and looked at Yazoo in surprise, before looking down at herself. The flowergirl realised that her clothes were still damp from the water, so the gunman's words did make a lot of sense…even if they were a little callous. If Yazoo believed she would change in front of his snooping eyes again then he definitely had another thing coming . The flowergirl was already aware of the gunman's past perverted ways. She did not want to experience such forms of perversion anytime soon in the future.

"I have no clothes to change into," Aeris answered feebly.

"Don't be silly Mother, The Sanctuary has everything catered for your needs." And to prove his words, Kadaj miraculously left the room and then shortly returned with a white bundle in his arms. Aeris blinked when Kadaj eagerly passed the items to his Mother.

The flowergirl unfolded the material and smiled softly at the snowy white kimono speckled with black poppies on the edges of the sleeves. It seemed that it would possibly fit her, as she looked at the length of the sleeves and the silk obi piped in a slim black trim.

"Where did you get this?" Aeris gasped as her shy fingers stroked the delicate fabric that seemed so buttery soft beneath her skin.

Kadaj shrugged. "The Sanctuary provides everything that '_**he**_' deems is necessary for us. It seems '_**He**_' is now aware that you are here, and that is why those clothes appeared in Kadaj's wardrobe."

Aeris blinked. That seemed a little weird. "So…whatever I wish for, '_**He**_' …I mean Sephiroth conjures it up for me?"

The silver haired trio nodded simultaneously.

Aeris grinned. "Well show me this wardrobe then!"

0o0o0o0

When Aeris saw it, she was awfully disappointed. Whatever she was expecting, was not this. It was just a simple sliding door, and the inside had the space for only two shelves, a shoe rack and a metal pole to hang up some clothes. Aeris did not know why but she was expecting something much snazzier. "So how does this work?" Aeris queried, as she looked at the very unmagical looking wardrobe.

Kadaj answered her immediately. "Well, you open up the door, if its empty then Sephiroth sees that you need nothing at this time. If you desire something, and open it at another time, what you find in here, will be a gift that Sephiroth has offered you to use."

Aeris blinked. "So if I imagine an amazing straight off the catwalk red frock, does that mean it will materialise in that wardrobe then?" The brunette pouted. The wardrobe was not as fun as she expected it to be.

Kadaj grinned, "Well, we cant find out if we don't try."

"You mean you want me to try it?" Aeris asked.

"Why not," Yazoo remarked with a shrug, closing the door. "Picture the item you feel you most need to possess, and if it appears in this wardrobe, then Sephiroth has heard and answered your prayer."

Aeris thought there was no harm trying. She clasped her hands together and nodded at the others. Her mind tried to think of all the potential things she could ever want. First and foremost, Aeris wanted something that was reasonably warm and comfortable. An image of a white fur coat with matching boots came to the brunette's mind and she giggled softly.

"Ready?" Yazoo asked wearily.

Aeris nodded eagerly. She was eager to see one of Sephiroth's miracles. "Yes!"

Yazoo slid the door open.

Four pairs of eyes blinked.

"Errr," Aeris was the first to speak. "This….this is not what I wanted…" she began, as she stared at the black leather objects which were hanging in the previously empty wardrobe. There was a pair of black leather boots with low heels. The style seemed awfully intimidating with the many belts and buckles adorning the sides. But Aeris quickly realised that the boots seemed the most 'normal' item of clothing in the wardrobe. Aeris blushed as she pulled out a black leather dress which seemed like a parody of her pink one, right down to the many buttons lined down the front. The dress also came with a black leather jacket, which was an apparent parody of her favourite red bolero jacket.

"So much…black leather," the flowergirl voiced with a weak laugh. "This really is not my style," Aeris said softly, as she looked from the clothes to the silver haired men around her.

"I think you would look wonderful in them Mother!" Kadaj began eagerly as he gazed at the clothes with childlike awe. "I think you should try them on right now."

"But all this…black…" Aeris sighed whilst shaking her head. _'It seems….a little too dominatrix-y for me.' _

"I was expecting something warm and soft, you know something white and fuzzy. Not all this dark leather stuff and belts…."

"Sephiroth has given you what he feels you need, not what you think you want." Yazoo stated calmly. "You desired something warm and soft, leather shall suffice."

"But I don't need all this…leather." Aeris sighed. "It's not really me. I prefer much brighter colours."

"You are so ungrateful," Yazoo stated in a droll tone. "You reject a gift from _him_?"

Aeris shook her head, "It's not about being ungrateful, it's just not what I wanted. That's all."

"That does not matter. In the Sanctuary, you cannot deny Sephiroth's will. If Sephiroth has given you these clothes, it means you will need them in the near future."

"Erm…can't we try this wardrobe thing again? I mean put them back and see what comes out instead? Maybe Sephiroth will realise he has made a mistake and give me something else instead?"

Yazoo shrugged. He already knew what the most likely outcome would be, and it certainly wouldn't be in the brunette's favour. A shadow of a smile appeared on the gunman's lips. _'Why not.'_

Aeris placed the clothes back in the wardrobe and closed the door shut. Once again, Aeris paused to imagine pale white fur, with an oversized hood and pretty pale boots to match. Aeris then asked Yazoo to open the door. When he did, four pairs of eyes looked inside.

Yazoo tried to hold back a chuckle, but failed.

And Aeris slapped a hand over her eyes.

Loz and Kadaj simultaneously blinked in bemusement.

It seemed the magicks of the wardrobe had a twisted sense of humour. Aeris blushed at the sight of the additional leather accessories which now came with her leather gear. If she didn't doubt that someone was trying to dress her up in a dominatrix outfit, now the flowergirl could not deny it. The leather dress, bolero jackets and boots now came with a set of matching leather underwear, leather cuffs and….most disturbingly…a black nine tails whip. Aeris flushed in embarrassment as Loz picked it up and started playing with the vicious looking weapon.

"Hey this is pretty good!" The burly male remarked, as he cracked the whip and sliced a nearby table into nine pieces.

Kadaj and Yazoo stared at Loz in blank confusion. Sometimes Loz's nature even baffled them.

"Keep it then, because there is no way that I will use such a weapon," Aeris said assuredly. She did not know what Sephiroth was playing at, but Aeris had no intention of wearing those awful clothes that the silver haired swordsman had offered her. The kimono Kadaj found was fine, but the leather bondage gear was a huge no-no. She didn't care if Sephiroth had somehow magically sent her those items. There was no chance in hell that she was going to wear them. Aeris shut the evil wardrobe, leaving the leather garbs inside while Loz continued to happily play with the evil fetish whip.

"Hey Kadaj!" Loz called out.

The young teen turned his head to his elder Brother Loz, to immediately bend his body backwards to dodge the whip that nearly sliced his head off. "Hey! What the hell was that for!?" Kadaj exclaimed, ready to beat some sense into the idiotic giant.

"Ooops Sorry, I didn't realise this whip had that much range. Can I keep this Mother?" Loz turned his attention to Aeris with imploring eyes.

Aeris was ready to answer him.

"Ow!" Loz exclaimed, as he rubbed the back of his head. This time it was Yazoo who was looking down at him. Despite being attacked by his Brother, the elder male grinned and smiled sheepishly.

"Sephiroth gave that gift to her, not to you, don't ever assume you claim any right yo this woman's things." Yazoo stated calmly as he removed the weapon from Loz's hands, before dropping the weapon at the brunette's feet.

"Loz can have it, I really don't want it." Aeris stated.

Loz beamed happily, and Yazoo and Kadaj sneered as they watched the burly male pick up the whip and play with the weapon again, as if it was always his.

'…_.Idiot…' _They both simultaneously thought in unison.

"Right.. now I guess I should change out of these clothes," Aeris said, as she picked up the white kimono off the floor.

Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz stared at her and made no attempt to leave the room.

"Ahem!"

The silver haired trio blinked in sync.

"Can you give me a little privacy please?"

Yazoo rolled his eyes, before leaving the room in silence. Kadaj smiled before dragging Loz out who seemed completely baffled for reasons that no one could explain.

When the brunette was sure that there were no silver haired peeping toms nearby, Aeris began to disrobe her wet clothes and change into the soft buttery white kimono fabric. She was struggling to tie her obi when Kadaj and Loz bounded back inside with a extremely large platter of meats and fruits. Aeris blinked and paused during her ministrations.

Kadaj gawped at the sight of his Mother in the black and white kimono. He would have never believed that his Mother could become any more beautiful that she already was. It seemed he was wrong.

"Whoa! Mother looks hot," Loz stated, winning a whack from Kadaj. "Don't disrespect Mother. She is beautiful, not hot."

"Why not? I think she looks hot, that's why I said so!"

Kadaj growled. "Hot does Mother no justice. She is much better than hot. She is so extraordinary in every possible way."

"Well I still think she's hot!"

"Loz! Didn't you listen to anything I said?!"

Aeris flushed at the teen's arguments over whether she could be called hot or not. She distracted herself by trying to finish tying up her obi.

"She's hot!"

"No, she's beautiful!"

"Hot!"

"Beautiful!"

"Hot!"

Aeris sighed. She gave up on trying to tie up her obi in a pretty bow and decided on keeping it plain and functional. She moved her bare feet across the white mats to the food platter. Everything looked so appetising. She was sure there was enough food there to feed at least ten people. Aeris noticed a rather interesting wonky red pepper. Curiosity filled her as she picked it up and drew it to her gaze. She had never seen anything like it before.

She tentatively opened her mouth to take a bite from it.

All the while Kadaj and Loz continued to argue.

"Hot!"

"Beautiful!"

"HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Aeris screamed. Kadaj and Loz turned there heads to stare at an incredibly red faced demi-Cetra, who was running around the room while fanning her face. "HOT HOT HOTTTT!"

"I told you Kadaj that Mother is Hot," Loz stated with a grin. Kadaj watched the brunette's antics, confused why his Mother's face had turned so beet red.

"W-w-w!" Aeris cried as she continued to run around like a lunatic.

"W-w-w? What's that Mother?" Kadaj asked in confusion.

"W-w-water!" The flowergirl cried out over the red searing burn that was scalding the insides of her throat and mouth.

"Water?" Loz blinked. "Oh what kind of water would you like. Mineral? Sparkling? Still?"

Aeris dropped to the floor, all the while coughing. She thought she was dying.

"Mother!" Kadaj exclaimed as he fell to her side. "Are you alright?"

Aeris shook her head and continued to cough. "Loz go and get the water Mother wants," Kadaj commanded to his older Brother.

"But I don't know what kind of water Mother likes or wants!" Loz cried out in alarm.

"It doesn't matter. Get her anything!" Kadaj called out in a wild panic.

"Do not bother," Yazoo's lazy voice called out to them as he suddenly materialised from nowhere with a cold glass of water in hand. He passed the glass to the feverish brunette who guzzled down the beverage as fast as she could. Yazoo watched with bored eyes as the flowergirl stopped coughing and her complexion softened back to its natural healthy hue. She looked up into Yazoo's mako tainted eyes with genuine appreciation.

"Thank you.."

The gunman rolled his eyes and left the room as silently as he came. Aeris stared at the entrance where Yazoo had left. What a strange, strange man.

"So when do I get to meet him? When do I get to meet Sephiroth?"

Kadaj stopped talking to Loz. "We…don't know."

"You don't know?" Aeris asked.

"Where is Sephiroth?"

"He is in the temple at the centre of the Sanctuary. He has not summoned us yet, when he does I will take you to him?"

"How will Sephiroth summon you?"

"We simply know when he asks for our services." Kadaj's words seemed to make no sense. After their long and perilous journey to get to the Sanctuary, it seemed silly to wait patiently. Aeris had waited too long for this moment. She had to see him. That was the only reason why she had travelled so long and far. "Kadaj, cant you take me to him now?"

Kadaj pondered. "If that is what you truly wish Mother…I guess I could take you to the entrance of the Sanctuary Temple. However the doors bar those who have not been personally invited."

"I'm sure Sephiroth doesn't expect me to have an invitation," Aeris said airily. "Come on then Kadaj, take me to see him. Take me to see Sephiroth."

For reasons that Kadaj could not explain, he seemed incredibly hesitant. "Can't it wait till tonight?"

"Why tonight?" Aeris asked in confusion. She wanted to be on the move now!

"I…I'm tired," Kadaj lied. In truth he wanted to spend a little more time with Mother, before HE took her away from him.

"Oh…" Aeris sighed. She had never heard Kadaj openly admit being tired. It almost came as a surprise to her. "I guess if you are tired, I could go to the temple myself. Can you tell me where to go Kadaj? Like give me some directions or something?"

Kadaj shook his head. "I promise I will take you there lately. It's just been a while since I've been at home. I have…rather missed it,"

Aeris pouted, and then her gaze turned to Loz. "Do you know where the temple is?"

Loz nodded.

Aeris smiled. "Could you take me there?"

"NO! I will take you there!" Kadaj interrupted his Brother's next words as he leapt up from the floor. The young teen sighed to himself. It seemed that his Mother wanted to see Sephiroth now. He had to do as she wished. He knew he could never say no to her for anything.

"Wait at the entrance Mother, I will get some shoes for you," and with that Kadaj disappeared out of the room. That left Loz and Aeris alone in the room. As Aeris stared at him, she truly believed that Loz was the sort of man who smiled even when being punched in the face. He seemed to share similar childlike characters to that of Kadaj. He grinned back at her, and Aeris had to turn her head away in shy embarrassment. Loz was such a strange man.

Kadaj quickly rushed back and thrust the pair of dark sandals into the brunette's hands, along with a pair of white socks. Aeris blinked and tried to bend down to put them on. However unfortunately due to the tightness of her robes, she could not bend correctly to put them on her feet. Noticing her troublesome predicament, Kadaj eagerly aided his Mother by dropping to his knees before her and slipping the socks and sandals on like a personal servant.

"Thank you," Aeris said softly as she ruffled the teen's hair. He blushed and grabbed the brunette's hand.

And then off they went.

Aeris left their small hut to venture out into the strange white world which mirrored the same colour on the earth as it did in the sky. Everything was white. Pure white… It was almost too dazzling white. Aeris raised a hand over her eyes to gaze around in wonder. There were rows and rows of wooden huts, identical to the one she had just came from. People walked down the street completely oblivious of them, lost in their own worlds. The further she walked down the road, Aeris soon realised that if not for Kadaj, she would have no idea where she was going. Everything looked so identical and pale. Aeris gaped as she watched a pair of silver haired- green eyed teenagers clad in similar clothes like Kadaj sprinting past them and down the street. The flowergirl turned to Kadaj.

"Who were they?" Aeris asked softly.

Kadaj shrugged. "My Brothers I guess."

Aeris furrowed her brow. "What are their names?"

Kadaj shrugged again. "No idea. I have never met them in person till today,"

Aeris blinked. "But then how…how do you know you are related to them?"

"Everyone who has came here for the Reunion are all bound here by the same blood. Everyone here is family. It's that simple," Kadaj remarked calmly, while Aeris stared at him in confusion. "Oh hey Mother let me show you something special!" The teen grabbed his Mother's hand and rushed her towards a fork in the road. He turned them both left, and Aeris watched them pass many of the wooden huts. When Aeris realised the huts were eventually thinning out amongst her vision, the brunette's curiosity was piqued.

"Where are we going?" Aeris asked curiously.

Kadaj did not answer, instead he drew a hand over his mouth, as if to silence the brunette. The flowergirl blinked and complied with the teen's actions. She knew that whatever Kadaj was planning, she could not imagine it to be harmful to her being so she allowed herself to play the teen's game. Soon they came to the outskirts of a forest which had gorgeous white blossom trees, whose branches seemed like they were painted in hues of silver and ivory. Aeris gawped in awe and as she walked closer to one of the trees. She plucked one of the pale coloured leaves and stared at the silvery filigree patterns decorating the fragile white leaf.

"So remarkable," Aeris gasped softly, as she looked around in amazement.

"Not really. I never cared for this forest or the things here.. I just knew how much you liked flowers, and well I wanted to let you see this." Kadaj admitted carelessly.

Aeris smiled her appreciation for the teen to see. "I'm glad you showed me. This place really is beautiful…and _bigger _than I have ever imagined."

Kadaj nodded. "The Sanctuary has everything we may think to need. If we truly need anything, all we need to do is pray for it. _**He- **_Sephiroth listens to all our prayers, but he doesn't always give us everything we want."

The brunette took in the teen's words. "This place really is amazing. I can't believe Sephiroth has the power to create all of this. It's all so unbelievable. This truly feels like paradise."

"That's because this place imitates the dream of everyone here. If you seek a Promised Land, then that is what you shall see. Due to Sephiroth's will, everyone shares the same dream and through this Sephiroth maintains peace here. Nobody dares to defy someone who governs so much power over us all."

"But still…everyone seems happy here. And everything is so clean and beautiful."

Kadaj nodded.

"Are you happy here Kadaj?" Aeris asked softly, as she turned her attention from the beautiful scenery to the young teen at her side.

The pale haired male truly thought about his Mother's words. Now that he thought about it, he really was not so sure. "I guess…when you have been here for a while, each day ends up feeling the same. I don't dislike this place, but that doesn't mean I like it wholly. The Sanctuary simply has everything I need…and everything I have ever known. But since I met you…I genuinely do not care if I left this place and never came back here…you see, you are everything that I need now. I can have many Brothers and Sisters but I can only have one Mother."

Again Kadaj's strangely emotional words had the brunette reeling. "Kadaj, When you call me Mother, do you truly see me as your real Mother…or your adopted Mother? Because you do know that I am not old enough to be your real Mother, right?"

Kadaj smiled and grabbed the brunette's hand within both of his own. "Age has no importance in the Sanctuary. Time has no reign here. A year here can feel like a day, sometimes a minute can feel like a week. You can say you are too young to be my Mother, but in this world anything goes according to Sephiroth's will. If Sephiroth sees you are our Mother, then we shall see it thus too."

Aeris furrowed her brow. "But that's what I don't get. Why would Sephiroth go out of his way to tell lies to you all?"

"Because it is not a lie. You are and will always be our Mother," Kadaj remarked pointedly.

Aeris mentally sighed. It always seemed a mistake to talk to Kadaj over this Mother subject, since his view never seemed to change. But in truth, if what Kadaj said was true, then it was not his fault that he had been lied to. The person at fault was Sephiroth himself. Aeris was going to get to the bottom of this once and for all. The Aeris-Mother mystery had been going on for far too long. She was going to get the truth out of Sephiroth whether he liked it or not, and at the same time stop him from using the Black materia. After all, this was now her Cetra burden. In all simplicities, she had to stop Sephiroth. If she didn't, then the Planet would truly destroy him and expel his remains out into the cosmos. Despite everything that Sephiroth had done to her, Aeris did not want such a thing to happen. She did not want Sephiroth to become a dying memory to the world when she felt so connected to him. Her mind and heart would not forgive herself if she failed him, or the planet.

Aeris sighed. She had to stop mentally stalling. She had to find Sephiroth before it was too late.

And then the remembrance of mako blue eyes came back to her mind.

_Zack…!_

'_Zack must be here in the Sanctuary. I saw him fall in the crater,,.'_ the flowergirl thought to herself. _'But this place is so big. I wouldn't know where to begin. I could try and look for him now or ask Kadaj to see if he could help me find him…No! I need to see Sephiroth first! That's is my mission first and foremost. I will find Zack AFTER I have seen Sephiroth. I wonder where he is…I think he recognised me, but it has been so long since I have seen me. And why is his hair silver? Why does everyone seem to have pretty silver hair here?'_

"Can you take me to see Sephiroth now?"

"Why not a bit later?" Kadaj hedged weakly.

"Why not now?" Aeris asked, as she helped Kadaj up. Aeris could not seem to understand the teen's reluctance. When she first met him outside Wutai, he very eagerly wanted to take her to see '**HIM**'. She did not know what had changed. Nevertheless Aeris knew that she had to see Sephiroth now! Time was running out!

"I guess," Kadaj sulked weakly, as he grabbed the flowergirl's left hand in his right and began walking back towards the main fork in the road they had reached before, and turned another left. The further they went down the path, the more unusual sights greeted the brunette's eyes. Strange noises filtered through the air, many Aeris could not even recognise. There was a conscious humming-groaning sound echoing all around her. The flowergirl asked the teen at her side what the strange noise was. He responded by saying, "Those are the prayers that are sent to Sephiroth. When we get closer to the temple, then you will see them all."

"Who?" Aeris asked softly.

"The worshippers."

Aeris blinked. "People pray to Sephiroth?" she asked. Kadaj nodded. "We pray for miracles, and if Sephiroth believes that our faith in him is strong enough, he grants us our desires."

"Whoa!" Aeris gasped at the sea of pale haired men that were all bowed prostrate in hundreds of rows before the temple they were currently walking towards. Their many voices echoed a singular mantra in unison, which fell in time with the sound of ringing bells of the priests who guided the prayers. In truth the scene was extraordinarily impressive.

Aeris shivered, and Kadaj held the brunette's hand reassuringly as they crossed the long pathway towards the temple. Kadaj seemed disinterested with the sights of his own people around him. The only thing he seemed to focus on was the sight of his beloved Mother at his side. They continued along the path, and past the many worshippers singing their desires to the planet.

And then they finally reached it. They were at the bottom of the stairs. Above them was the temple.

In truth the temple was more of an obelisk. Tall, white and simple. It held no windows nor any realm of pattern on its surface. It was a solid monument which stood for the rigid simplicity governed within the Sanctuary. No frivolity was promoted or excused in the Sanctuary. Everything had to have a semblance of form and reason. Before the obelisk was a large stairway towards the most largest double doors that Aeris had even seen.

'_They must be at least…forty…no fifty feet high…'_

Kadaj tightened his grip around his Mother's hand. Kadaj had visited the temple many times but he had only been allowed inside the temple once. He had been the only man who had been granted access to see '**Him'** when he passed the trial of the _whitestar_. In completing that trial, Kadaj proved he was the best. However that was then. Kadaj was unsure whether Sephiroth would allow him to enter again. The teen looked at his Mother. He certainly hoped so. After all, he did not want to disappoint Mother.

They were both standing at the bottom of the stairway, and when the flowergirl realised her silver haired companion didn't seem like he was moving anytime soon, Aeris looked at Kadaj, as if waiting for his permission to continue.

The young teen inhaled a breath of confidence. This was it. He released his grip on his Mother's hand. "Are you ready Mother?" Kadaj asked in a tone more serious than she was accustomed to coming from him.

Aeris nodded.

Kadaj cracked a smile, but there was no emotion in it.

"Let's go…"

And they began their ascent.

Halfway up the steps, Kadaj felt his limbs seize up, and the teen nearly dropped to his knees, but he forced himself to walk alongside his Mother. It seemed this time the temple was refusing him access. But Kadaj refused to part from his Mother so he stubbornly continued on. Aeris all the while was unaware of the teen's internal pain. All she wanted to do was get to the top of the stairs, and through the door. The higher she went fear began to shadow her anticipation and growing excitement.

When Kadaj and Aeris got to the top of the stairs, the brunette was alarmed to see Kadaj flop to the ground lifelessly.

"Kadaj! Kadaj! What's wrong?" The flowergirl called out frantically as she dropped to her knees and started shaking the pale haired teen.

"F-Forgive me Mother…But it seems '_**He**_' does not wish me to go any further…" Kadaj panted weakly. He was not even brave enough to meet the brunette's eyes. "I'm sorry…but you will have to go on…alone.." The teen clutched his sides. He could not understand why he was in so much agony, but he knew Sephiroth was behind it. His very will controlled even the scent of the air. It was physically preventing him from taking another step further.

"But why? What's the matter?!" Aeris' healer instincts kicked in and the first and only she wanted to do was assist the teen back to health.

Kadaj shook his head. "Sephiroth repels me from his Sanctuary…as much as I wish to be with you…I..cannot.."

Aeris grew alarmed. It made no sense at all. "But why? Didn't you say you have been in here before?"

It took all of Kadaj's energy to feebly nod. "I..I.. told you that Sephiroth's will controls everything that happens in the Sanctuary… this is simply proof of this one truth…"

The brunette's eyes softened with understanding. "Kadaj…" Aeris began. She really did not like seeing the teen in pain. "Please, let me take you back to Loz and Yazoo."

Kadaj weakly shook his head and mouthed a no. "N-n-no. Y-y-o-u are here now. Go…see…'**H-im' **.."

And with that, the teen flopped over unconscious. Aeris shook the teen, trying to rouse him. Fear began eating at her sides. The brunette looked at the doors of the temple, then at the many rows of stairs they had just walked up. The brunette was very tempted to go back for help. But unfortunately, Aeris knew she was not strong enough to carry Kadaj all the way back to the bottom. This then left only one choice.

"I'm sorry Kadaj, but I will have to leave you. I will try to return as quickly as I can," the brunette promised, as she brushed his silvery bangs away from his closed eyes. "But now I must go forward. I must find Sephiroth…" Aeris said aloud as she looked down at the slumbering teen with concerned eyes, before steeling her vision towards the cold white door greeting her.

"Sephiroth, I know you must know that I'm here, so you better allow me entrance or I will be most displeased," the flowergirl stated, as she stood up and moved towards the entrance of the obelisk. When her pale fingers touched the cold stone doors, Aeris yelped as the doors parted, as if by her own will. The brunette looked at her fingertips in awe, before walking through the portal and-

….Into a garden?

How illogical…

Aeris blinked, and looked around at the expanse of space around her. The grass was white. The soil was black. It was beautiful in an exotic and cold sort of way. She heard the sound of running water coming from her left and Aeris wandered to the source of the sound. Aeris blinked at the sight of the cloudy pool of water in the centre of the room. Afraid that she might fall in by accident, Aeris walked across the white grass to the edge of the pool. Although the water was rather murky, Aeris was sure she could see a dark object at the far bottom. She had no idea what it could be, nor was she brave enough to swim in the water to find out. Leaving the mystery of the water for this moment, Aeris continued on in her wanderings. It really seemed the Sanctuary defied all forms of logic. When she looked at the entrance of the obelisk, it seemed so much further than she remembered walking, and the white grass around her continued to go on for miles on end.

Quickly Aeris realised something most puzzling, Other than the large pool in the centre of the room, there seemed to be nothing of further interest inside the obelisk.

Aeris was beginning to get rather confused.

Eventually her attention was drawn back to the murky water. Kneeling as close as she dared to by the pool, Aeris once more tried to see what was in the bottom to no avail. She sighed and pouted.

For reasons she could not understand herself, Aeris dipped one of her hands into the water.

Nothing happened.

The brunette frowned.

There was no chance in hell that she was going to see what was in the bottom of the pool. She now believed water was never an ally for her, and she was not brave enough to swim anytime soon.

'…_But this puzzle…what am I meant to do?"_

Aeris stared at the water and considered the possibilities of its purpose in the room…other than bathing or swimming…what am I meant to do with water…

She looked at the murkiness…

And wondered…

"….Should I take a sip?" The brunette frowned. The action seemed perfectly illogical. But currently she was sitting on white grass, the room made very little sense in the first place.

And so without thinking too much about her actions, Aeris cupped both her hands together in the water and brought her face downwards to take a sip of the black water.

Suddenly the word seemed to whirl around her, and Aeris genuinely thought something was spinning her around. The stark whiteness of the room became a blur to her, and the brunette stumbled around trying to make sense of her lack of vision. Eventually her senses returned to her.

And Aeris blinked.

"…What…what is this place?"

The white world with white grass was gone.

Instead another place filled her vision.

For reasons Aeris could not comprehend, she was now standing in her church, in the slums. The brunette gawped in awe. Everything was the same as she remembered it, even down to the pale yellow flowers blossoming between the broken floorboards.

Aeris walked past the pews, and gently glided her hand across the familiar wood. Her lips curled up when she realised there was a thin coating of dust on them.

"Strange.."

Aeris continued onwards, past the flowerbed to the back of the church. As she went through the familiar portal, Aeris lurched forwards, and nearly fell onto the metal grating below her feet.

The flowergirl blinked and looked up…

"What the-?"

She was no longer in the church…but somewhere else…

…Somewhere she would rather not be…

Aeris blinked and looked around in wild confusion. Now she was in one of Shinra's labs. The brunette rose to her feet and warily walked around, eyeing the foreign apparatus and the empty specimen cages on the wall. The lab was void of life and sound. Aeris was beginning to get a little scared.

"Why am I here?"

Aeris wandered through the exit of the lab, to once more feel the familiar experience of disorientation.

The lab evaporated from sight to be replaced by another location…

"I recognise this place too…" Aeris murmured softly, as she touched the cold stone wall that she identified as Mythrill mine. She was only aware that it was the correct mine due to the excruciating stench of mako in the air and glitter of Mythrill in the wall. Whether the smell of mako was real or a figment of her imagination, the flowergirl did not know. Nevertheless, the brunette felt herself proceeding through the cave rather quickly since no monsters greeted her. Following the light towards the exit of the cave, Aeris once more felt her world whirl around her head… With every place she saw, it caused the brunette to feel nostalgic of her journey from the east continent to the western continent,

…she walked though a familiar item shop on Junon harbour…

…And then she moving past many sealed crates inside a Shinra merchant-ship…

…to nearly fall off a very familiar bridge on the outskirts of North Corel…

Despite her continuous disorientation with the all too familiar places, Aeris continued onwards.

….She re-walked paths she had travelled with **him**.

…Up hills…

…Down mountains…

…Across streams…

Soon, Aeris' world slurred around her, and the flowergirl's heart lurched as a very familiar setting came back to haunt her vision.

…The Nibelheim Mako Reactor.

Aeris turned to check the metal door behind her. It was locked.

The brunette shivered and bravely stepped climbed down onto the metal platform where the madness had taken place. Standing where she was now, she remembered the way Sephiroth had stood with his Masamune poised at her throat, as if she was his enemy. Tears dotted the brunette's vision as she remembered the sound of the five bullets which echoed in her mind even now. That day Vincent Valentine had saved her life…and in the process had condemned Sephiroth to death.

Aeris shook her head. Falling back into her personal nightmare was not going to help her find Sephiroth. She turned her frightened gaze to look around for any obvious clues on how to get out.

Unlike the previous rooms and paths she had encountered, the reactor did not seem to have any logical paths to the next stage. The brunette wandered across the long metal railing and looked down into the green murky depths below. The image of Sephiroth's bloodied body falling down into the concentrated mako below, caused the flowergirl to release a few tears of pure sorrow. She could not image how much pain Sephiroth must have been in when the lifestream attacked his body, seeing him as an enemy to the planet.

Aeris covered a hand over her mouth. She was getting emotional again, and she was no closer to finding out how to get out of the reactor.

"….."

There seemed like there was no way out. Aeris dropped herself to the ground. She screwed her hands into fists and rubbed her damp eyes. She was so frustrated and upset. She had no idea what to do. No idea at all.

"Sephiroth please, tell me …what must I do…?" Aeris wept softly. "I don't know where to go or what to do…Please I don't want to be in this place any longer…"

The reactor remained silent to her pleas.

Aeris sighed wearily and very bravely stood up. There had to be a way to get out. Crossing the metal platform over the roaring mako below to reach the other side, Aeris struggled with the lock preventing her access to the next room.

"Agh! This is so stupid!" Aeris exclaimed to herself. "I'm so out of ideas…"

The flowergirl wandered back across the bridge and looked down into the roaring mako below. It was the only source of life in the area. And at the moment, Aeris was struck with a horrible epiphany.

"That is the way…isn't it?" Aeris cried out in horror. "You want me to jump down in there! Just like you did!"

Aeris shook her head fiercely. "No way! Not a chance!" she shouted to the air.

The brunette soon realised she was talking to herself. "Gods I'm really losing it!" Aeris looked back down at the mako. It seemed like a long…..long……long drop. Even though Aeris was unsure how this strange place worked, Aeris was sure that if her head accidentally smashed itself on any of the metal apparatus and wiring below then it would be game over for her.

Aeris decided that she was not going to jump. There was no chance in hell that she was going to do something so terribly foolish. But even as she said those words, something inside her was nudging her body closer to the edge. Aeris did not know how long she waited. But the brunette knew that nothing was going to change if she did not do something.

"Oh come on Seph! Please……can't you open the door or something for me. Don't do this…" Aeris knew she was whining now but she let herself off. What Sephiroth off her was downright cruel. "Just because you jumped in here, that doesn't mean I want to…that would be…suicide!"

Aeris rechecked the doors, hoping Sephiroth had answered her prayers. As she had expected, the doors on both sides of the reactor remained locked. The brunette mentally cursed, before looking back on the metal grating. Sephiroth really gave her no choice.

She tiptoed towards, the edge of the walkway. Again, when she realised how far the drop was, Aeris bolted away from the idea. While she was trapped within her inner turmoil, the door across the walkway slowly opened, and the brunette beamed happily with relief.

But that smile soon cracked at the sight of the most disfigured…and most traumatising sight she had ever seen in her life. It was some form of demon. It had to be! It's face was disfigured with a grey armoured skin coating its entire body. Aeris screamed. What she was seeing was a monster of some kind. Something that was far from human, and it had its black beady eyes locked onto her. Aeris felt her legs turn to jelly as the non human monstrosity began to amble its way towards her.

"K-keep away!" Aeris shouted. However it seemed the creature could not understand her words or simply was not listening. Instead it continued to amble towards her. The brunette screamed as the door behind the creature swung violently shut. She was trapped with the monster now.

Aeris looked down at the mako.

Then at the monster.

Deep down Aeris knew what was happening.

She knew that Sephiroth had forced her hand. If she did not jump now, then that monster would tear her limb from limb. Aeris felt paralysed as the creature ambled closer. It was a true abomination of nature. She knew was running out of time. She had to make the choice now.

Death by monster…?

…or risk the chance and fall into the mako?

At her last opportunity, Aeris refused to think as she closed her eyes and crazily threw herself off the platform, just at the right time when the foul creature tried to make a swipe at her.

The brunette screamed and screamed as she felt herself plummet forever downwards, expecting only death to be waiting for her at the bottom. When her body hit the mako, she was expecting to feel burning pain.

But instead, she felt a soothing coolness wrap over her body along with an all too familiar dizziness.

She opened her eyes warily.

And then blinked.

"Eh?"

She was laying on cool white grass inside the temple, and not melting away in the liquid mako. Aeris blinked again, and looked around.

"Am I in the same room as before?" The grass was the same, as was the dirty watery pool. The only obvious change in the room was how another door that was not there before was adjacent to the entrance of the building. Aeris carefully drew herself to her feet, and warily made her way to the new portal. She peeked through, praying there were no evil mutated monsters hiding on the other side. It seemed this place ruled by Sephiroth reflected the workings of a insane and illogical mind.

The brunette placed a nervous hand over her rapidly heart, and then entered the next room.

This room was much smaller than the last, but still held the similar workings of the last room, from the silvery white grass and black mud, to a much smaller parody of the rectangular pool of water. Aeris tiptoed towards the pool, noticing how the water seemed so much clearer than the black and dirty water she had drank in the previous room. As she peered over, Aeris saw something that made her heart jolt painfully in her chest.

"Oh my…….GOD! " Aeris exclaimed. Now this was something that she certainly wasn't expecting.

Lying at the base of the very shallow pool…was Sephiroth himself. Her heart violently thundered in her chest. Aeris felt her eyes tear up as she looked at the all too familiar chiselled feature that was laying dormant right below her. She couldn't believe it. She had finally found Sephiroth. After all this time, he was here. Everything was the same as she had remembered him, and yet some things were dreadfully and drastically different. His traditional black leather trench coat was gone. But that was not what truly shocked the brunette. The sight of impressively long black feathers protruding from the swordsman's right shoulder had the brunette quivering in awe. It took a few moments for Aeris to realise that the feathers were in fact a wing of some sort.

"W-what…are you?" Aeris murmured aloud as she watched the swordsman's silvery locks dance peacefully in his watery chamber. The brunette leaned closer to the water. Since the pool was so shallow, the flowergirl believed that if she was to put her entire arm into the water, she would be able to touch the swordsman's body.

Aeris shakily put her hand in the water to touch the warrior's brow. But as her fingertips grazed his skin, mako eyes snapped open, and Aeris screamed as a powerful arm shot out the water and pulled her entire body under.

0o0o0o0o0

**Whew…Now that is a nice cliffhanger huh? Lol x In truth I was thinking about cutting up this chapter into two sections, however I like the stupid length of this one so I kept it like this for your pleasure.**

**Read and review you guys. Tell me what you think. I want to see whether there are any A/S fans still reading. It seems most A/S readers have evolved and gone onto other things…meh x So it would be brill to know there are still A/S shippers out there. In truth, I would love to see other ppl writing some A/S things. It's been a while since I read a fantastic A/S. I have to say my most favourite A/S fic was done by the author Jenesis, a fic popularly known as 'Irony of Fate'. However unfortunately the site is no longer active…Meh…**

**But still…it would be wonderful if someone actually wanted to do an A/S fic which used lots of references from Crisis Core. I wonder if anyone is imaginative enough to somehow mix Seph/Aer/Gen, now that would be something out of this world! **

**Hehe, anywho, please guys, fellow A/S fans, review and show some support. And I will try my utmost best to get the next chapter out ASAP since I'm sure a lot of you who have been reading this from the beginning are eagerly awaiting for the reunion between Aeris and Sephiroth.**

**Ja ne**

**Aer_seph4eva x x**


	28. Reunion

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**15010 Words**

**33 pages**

**Chapter 28**

**Reunion**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**YES! I'm finally writing the chapter I have wanted to write for so very long! I'm also really delighted to know that there are still Aer/Seph shippers who are still supporting this fic, Hehe xx I know that TLAA has taken a deliciously deviant turn, mainly due to Vince, Kadaj and Yazoo's influence, but truthfully, my first and only love is the Aer/Seph shipping, so sorry to fans who are expecting anything anti Aer/Seph. Lol x**

**I'm actually pretty excited. Lol. I'm really cant wait to write this. Atm, I've been searching through many of my old songs that inspire my write dark A/S thoughts. Here is a small sample of some of my musical muses.**

**Evanescence- Haunted**

**Marilyn Manson- Tainted Love**

**FF8 Soundtrack- Succession of the Witches**

**FF6 Soundtrack- Return of The Phoenix (EyeMJRemix)**

**FF7 Soundtrack- Sector 7 Hath Wrought The Angel**

**FF2 Soundtrack- The Promised Land (orchestral)**

**Samurai X- Snow Theme**

**DMC- Shall Never Surrender**

**Oh I thought I should add the wonderful lyrics of Shall never Surrender from DMC for an sweet intro to this chapter. I was inspired to use these lyrics after watching the most wonderful A/S you tube vid. ****http: // www. youtube . com / watch ?v=afmUSrTaxVw**** I soooo can imagine the lyrics below being used as a powerful chorale theme inside Sephiroth's Sanctuary. Imagine all of Sephiroth's followers…chanting the beginnings of song…pretty powerful stuff eh? Tell me what you think about it.**

**Hehe, Anywho, enough ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

0o0

0o0o0o0o0

_**My honoured brethren**_

_**We come together**_

_**To unite as one**_

_**Against those that are damned**_

_**We show no mercy**_

_**For we have none**_

_**Our enemies shall fall**_

_**As we up rise**_

_**To claim our fate**_

_**Now and forever**_

_**We'll be together**_

_**In Love…and Hate…**_

_**DMC.**_

_**'Shall Never Surrender'**_

0o0o0o0o0

0o0

"Oh my…….GOD! " Aeris exclaimed. Now this was something she certainly did not expect to see.

Lying at the base of the very shallow pool…was _Sephiroth_ himself! The flowergirl's heart violently thundered in her chest. Instantly, Aeris felt her eyes tear up with raw emotion, as she looked down into the shallow waters, gazing at an all too familiar muscular body, laying dormant beneath her. Aeris simply could not believe it! She had finally found him. She had found **Sephiroth**! After all this time, he was here… right before her very eyes. Aeris raised a trembling hand over her mouth, to stifle the emotional sob that was threatening to escape her lips. She simply could not stop staring... Sephiroth appeared to look the same as she had always remembered him to be, and yet… some things were so astonishingly different. His traditional black leather trench coat was gone but his dark trousers and boots remained. But that was not what truly shocked the brunette. It was the sight of his long ebony feathers protruding from the swordsman's right shoulder. The sight of them had the brunette quivering in true awe. It took a few moments for Aeris to realise that the feathers attached to his back were in fact a wing of some sort.

"W-what…are you?" Aeris murmured aloud, as she gazed down at the swordsman's silvery locks, which were dancing peacefully in the watery chamber. The brunette leaned closer to the slumbering angel. Since the pool was so shallow, the flowergirl believed that if she were to put her entire arm into the water, she would have easily been able to touch the warrior's half naked body. And with that thought in mind, Aeris shakily put her hand in the water to touch the warrior's brow. But as her fingertips lightly grazed his skin, mako eyes snapped open, and Aeris screamed as a powerful arm shot right out the water, and pulled her entire body under.

0o0o0o0o0

Aeris screamed underwater. Bubbles escaped her open lips when she stared into all too familiar eyes; eyes which glowed with the rawest shade of mako power. The flowergirl knew she had seen the same eyes on the faces of so many others. And yet each time she had looked at Cloud, at Kadaj… at Yazoo… or Loz…or the villagers.. despite their unfathomable connection, Aeris knew a undeniable truth, which disfigured her dreams of fantasy. Deep down Aeris always realised that while it sometimes felt that Sephiroth was standing right alongside her instead of Kadaj or Yazoo…in the end she knew it was not the case. It was not him. It was _**never **_really **him**. But Aeris realised she did not have to deny herself of her inward fantasies. What she saw…. And what she desired to see… were one and the same… It was _**really**_ _**him**_... Aeris stared at the all too familiar silver hair and the pale skin…the dark clothes and the mako green eyes. The brunette knew she was staring at only **his** features. Not Kadaj's. Not Yazoo's nor any other strange look-alike. Aeris knew at this very moment, that she was openly goggling at her former silver haired guardian in horrified awe, just as he was blandly staring right back at her, with the same crippling intensity she had always uniquely associated with him.

And all the while, as the warrior's face remained passively void of expression and thought, his large pale arms possessively wrapped themselves around the brunette's waist, before drawing her small white robed body towards his naked chest.

And then, with actions not unlike a viper, the man of her dreams and nightmares snapped his face towards her with inhuman speed. The distance between them was suddenly closed when Sephiroth possessively captured her lips with his own. From his first dark touch, Aeris suddenly felt her entire body go limp in surprise. His mouth was ravenous and devouring as she remembered. Aeris swooned. His lips all the while reinforced the swordsman's will and domination over the flowergirl's heart, mind and soul. Even Sephiroth's use of his tongue revealed the truth of his dark and arduous nature. The swordsman refused to allow the flowergirl any form of control over him, and Aeris could do little more than submit to his dark desire. And yet, despite the burning nature of their kiss, the rest of Aeris' body could not move. While her body was frozen, her mind, heart and soul were left racing by the swordsman's sexual darkness.

'_Sephiroth…'_

Aeris knew this man had completely hypnotised her entire being.

And this power he now possessed over her….was just too much to bear.

Tears slipped from the brunette's eyes, and she felt her entire body wilt in submission, as the dark warrior tightened his grip around her pale form. She knew she was succumbing herself completely to the pale haired swordsman. Her dark desires for him had overtaken all thoughts born of sanity and morality. And as much as the flowergirl realised what she was doing was wrong… in the end…Sephiroth was what she had always craved. She craved **his **dark intensity. She needed **him **to complete her!

With his arms secure around her waist, Sephiroth burst them both out of the water, using a single dark wing to suspend them both in mid air. And all the while, his lips never stopped dancing over her own. When the flowergirl eventually parted for air, Aeris clutched her fingers over the swordsman's wet shoulders. And with her first real opportunity to gawp, Aeris took the time to simply stare in disbelief at the devastatingly beautiful vision that was purely **him**. Sephiroth looked as inhumanly magnificent as she had always remembered him to be. Long rivulets of water dribbled down his wet, chiselled form, falling back into the watery coffin below them. Her vision wavered at the sight of the many sparkling droplets, which had caught themselves on the warrior's long, delicate lashes. Her emotional gaze then followed one falling drip of water, which glided elegantly down the swordsman's clavicle, to pause its descent right above the warrior's muscular pectorals. The flowergirl's wide eyes quickly wandered across his pale wet skin. Her gaze lingered in awe at the jaw dropping vision of the warrior's breathtakingly beautiful black wing that protruded only from his right side. It was a wing which the pale angel had flexed out to keep them both aloft in the air. By the gods the very sight of it alone was impressive. But then Aeris knew that Sephiroth had always been visually impressive! As the bare-chested warrior gracefully descended them to stand together on the soft white grass below, all the while, the flowergirl never stopped gaping at him.

As the seconds passed in silence, Aeris tried to conjure a single semblance of thought into her dazed mind, but failed each time.

Sephiroth was just too _**perfect**_. He was an angel of indiscriminative beauty.

Just being with him, Aeris knew her logical mind was very quickly melting.

Sephiroth embodied aesthetic rapture. And Aeris was entirely mesmerised by his unearthly beauty.

And as Sephiroth stared at her unblinkingly, Aeris could only seem to manage one singular thought.

'_How could she deny him anything?'_

With his arms still locked around her, Aeris shakily raised a timid hand towards the swordsman's cheek, caressing the familiar contours of his wet jaw line beneath her equally wet fingertips . Her eyes were tearing up again as the pale angel, completely submitted himself to her touch. His eyes closed in contentment, and Aeris trembled as his arms responded to her delicate actions by tightening his comforting grip around her wet kimonoed form. Aeris mentally swooned again. The experience she was living right now was so _**unreal**_. But the heat of his body, and the wetness of his muscular skin against her robes, revealed to her the clear and glorious truth. This was not an illusion. This was not a lie.

Sephiroth was finally with her now.

The brunette's eyes wavered with that single realisation. Aeris knew the last time she had seen this man standing before her, death and blood had been written across his cold features.

"Hi..?" Aeris murmured weakly, completely at loss of what to say to this indefinable man. A beautiful being, who had the power to transform her mental world into a universe of mad and wonderful colours.

When Sephiroth heard the flower maiden's soft voice speak out to him, the swordsman slowly opened his eyes. Drawing his hand to his own face, Sephiroth took a hold of the brunette's fingers that were currently caressing his cheek. His features softened slightly and Aeris almost missed the slight change of expression. Tears slipped from her eyes and down her cheeks, as Sephiroth drew both his arms back around her waist, to then pulled her head down to rest on his bare chest. Aeris closed her eyes and drew her arms around the warrior's bare torso, as if she could merge her entire body inside the sanctuary of his arms. The wetness of Sephiroth's skin against her body did not bother flower maiden at all, nor did the dampness of her white robes bother him. They were together and that was all that mattered to both of them.

Aeris inwardly sighed peacefully. This was what she had been _missing_ for so long. This was what she had been lacking ever since that fated night in the Nibelheim reactor.

Sephiroth was finally there with her, as she was with him. Their two lost souls were finally reunited.

"And so you have came back to me little one," the swordsman murmured into her wet hair, as he raised a pale hand to gently stroke the flower maiden's dripping bangs away from her face. "Yes," Aeris whispered into his chest. She brought her tattooed hand over his left pectoral, hearing an all too familiar rhythm of life pulsing beneath her pale digits. It was a beat she once thought she would never hear again. In his arms, and hearing the pulse of life beneath her palm, Aeris finally felt complete.

"Everything will now go to pass as I have always intended," Sephiroth continued softly, completely indulging in the moment of having the flowergirl beside him once more.

Aeris echoed the swordsman's words in her head. They roused memories of Vincent's words on Da Chou and her fated promise to Ifalna inside the City of the Ancients. Aeris had not forgotten the true reason why she was here. Aeris knew she could not fail the Planet, and yet she knew she could never fail her beloved companion. Aeris knew it was her duty to save him. Aeris prayed that the words Vincent had told her on the Da Chou path would be enough to make Sephiroth see reason, and turn his cold heart from the darkness, and back into the light. "Sephiroth, please," the brunette began weakly, as she watched her tattooed hand quiver over the swordsman's heart. "Tell me, what are you trying to accomplish here?"

"Look at me little one," Sephiroth spoke softly, as he drew a hand underneath her chin, to raise her face upwards and towards his own. "Judging from your expression, I think you already know what I intend to do ."

Aeris trembled at the intensity of his gaze, and the swordsman chuckled quietly. "So you do know."

"Seph, don't do this." Aeris begged, as her eyes took on a desperate plea of emotion. "Please, there are other paths you can take to get what you want. Death is not the only way to fulfil your dreams."

The pale haired warrior stared down at the young female. "Death is the road to many things." He answered calmly. "And as it stands thus, Godhood is almost mine. You are already aware that I have cast judgement on this world, and that I intend to cleanse her of all unnecessary impurities. You know this is my right and duty. Only I can be the one to punish all those who are traitors to this Planet. And as I have the power to accomplish this, no-one can stop me. I can do this. I _**will**_ do this."

Aeris turned her head downwards, to hide herself from the swordsman's words. "Seph…" The brunette voiced weakly. She knew what she needed to say. She just couldn't find the right words to say. Sephiroth was just so certain of his dark destiny. But Aeris knew the truth even though Sephiroth did not. Aeris knew all of Sephiroth's motives to fight were born from a lie. She knew she had the power to save him!

While lost in her musings, the swordsman continued on. "Outside these white walls, you have seen only a glimpse of my dream. My _**dream**_ little one, is to create an entire planet, a shining white utopia, where everything is born of peace, according to my will. You know I have the power to change this Planet as I see fit. Aeris I can change everything."

"But…H-how?" Aeris asked, too afraid to look the warrior into his eyes, lest she be swayed by the persuasive power he held within. "How can you change this Planet by _**dreams**_ alone?"

The one winged angel retracted his wing to his back, as he silently contemplated the young female's words for a moment. "Let me show you how," Sephiroth answered calmly, as he guided Aeris back to his watery coffin. Sweeping a bare hand across the calm waters, the flowergirl watched in stupefied wonder as colourful images began to appear across the once clear surface. Soon diegetic sounds filled the white room.

"Look into the water and the _truth_ will finally be revealed to you…" Sephiroth commanded softly. Aeris did exactly what she was told.

0o0o0

o0o

_**Blood**_, torrents of blood was the first thing Aeris recognised forming across the cloudy water. She gaped and visibly gagged at the many sights of men and women, both in armour and non, warring against each other. It seemed death was the only thing on their minds. Those that did not die or fall by the blade, died by the bullet or by dark and devilish magicks. It was just so brutal…so violent. The flowergirl tried so many times to turn her head away from the crimson death, to escape the images of horror, but each time she tried, Sephiroth very callously turned her chin back to face the water. He made no attempt to conceal her from the brutal horrors.

"You see little one, this is the very nature of man.. Man exists only to _**kill**_…and only to bleed….In truth, we are all bodies of _**energy**_. We only thrive at the extinction of our enemies. Every undeserving form of man, who has experienced life on this Planet have all been _**consumers **_of _**death**_, and only a fool would deny such a truth."

Sephiroth then waved his hand across the pool. Immediately the water cleared itself of the blood, and shifted into a white and sterile location of a cold laboratory. Aeris balked at the sight of a very familiar scientist with greasy dark hair tied back into a messy ponytail. Aeris knew she was looking at the same man who had murdered her father. The same man who had imprisoned her and her birth mother! And in the water, Aeris watched as the crazy scientist committed crime after crime before her very eyes.

"…Man only has the ability to _**warp**_ and _**deform**_…" Sephiroth continued blandly, as he eyed the immoral scientist with bored and uncaring eyes. Hojo pitiful existence no longer bothered him, as it once had over the years he worked under the corruption of the Shinra collar. After all, Sephiroth knew that when the inevitable time came, the curse of the black materia would cast its ultimate judgement over the surface of the Planet. And Sephiroth would not allow Hojo's soul any form of salvation. He refused such filth to be reborn again on the white plains of his Promised land. Hojo and the rest of those working alongside Shinra could rot and melt away inside the Planet's core for the rest of eternity.

Even though Sephiroth was visibly unaffected by the many violent scientific acts forming in the water, Aeris was mortally horrified. The flowergirl watched as Hojo pricked and poked different cocktails of poisons into unfortunate men and women, uncaring if they wailed, screamed out in agony, or died a cruel and pointless death on his dissection table. And after the deaths of each and every failed lab experiment, the wacky scientist continued to take note after note, humming and ahhhing to himself, before turning his attention to his next unfortunate specimen. Aeris' face paled, and a hand came over to her mouth in horror as she recognised a very familiar grey armoured creature strapped to the steel tables, roaring out his internal agonies of murder to the entire world. All the while, the crazy scientist pottered around, lost in his own musings. The image of the grey demon was replaced with many different screaming souls, many who looked like regular men, women and children. Some appeared like humanity had been clearly stripped from them. Some of these humans had claws, horns, wings, even fangs. What Aeris saw was truly diabolical. Aeris quickly realised what Sephiroth had been trying to show her all along. Hojo…Shinra had been turning human beings into vile _**monsters**_!

"Man can only cause _**pain**_ unto others." Sephiroth continued on, as he turned his entire attention on the female standing beside him. Sephiroth had no intention of looking inside the pool this time. He did not need to watch the new images that were slowly forming in the cloudy waters. Sephiroth knew what was about to materialise….after all, they had been born from his own past memories.

As the lab images in the water congealed towards another a human form, the flowergirl threw a hand over her mouth, completely oblivious to Sephiroth's penetrative gaze that was locked only on her.

Aeris' eyes watered with fright as the water revealed to her a young boy, who looked no older than twelve years old, strapped to a table with large iron manacles covering his wrists and ankles. The flowergirl did not even have to try and wonder who the young youth was. It was painstakingly clear from the sight of long silvery hair flowing down his back.

"_**Let us see how your pain receptors have developed since the last time we did this boy,"**_ Hojo stated to the mute youth, as he drew a very large surgical blade off a nearby worktable.

Aeris did not want to see what was going to happen next. She tried to turn herself away but swordsman did not let her. Every opportunity she tried to turn her head, he would simply turn it back. And then it happened! Aeris screamed out bloody murder, as the crazy scientist slashed the boy's chest to ribbons. Aeris closed her eyes and shuddered violently. The sight of blood was just too much to bear. But even though her eyes were now closed, Aeris might have been able to protect her eyes from the sight of death, but that did not mean she could protect her hearing. Even with her hands held tight over her ears, Aeris could hear the sounds of Hojo's maniacal laughter as he plunged the knife in again, and again and again. Aeris shuddered. She could only imagine the psychotic levels of pain his victim must have been in. Tears burned her eyes, and dripped out of her closed lids. Eventually as the mad scientist's laughter faded, and the clatter of a knife was put back on a nearby work surface, Athe sound of faint pen scribbling filled the air.

_**"Hmmm interesting. Number 1's face still reveals too much response to visceral pain. This will need to be remedied with further studies…"**_

And then Hojo's voice faded away.

And silence finally reigned.

Aeris warily opened her eyes, truly fearing what she was going to see in the pool. The moment she looked into the water, she had to turn right away.

The sight was as she feared.

Aeris nearly fainted from the horror of what she had just seen in the water. The boy's chest had been torn open from every horrific side and angle. Bone was revealed and organs punctured. The scientist had not left a part of the young teen's skin untouched by his surgical blade. But despite the violent bloodshed which had befallen the young boy on the surgical table, the child had remained alarmingly silent, even though it was clear he had maintained full consciousness throughout the entire gory proceeding. The only sign that the young boy was in pain was the severe contorting of his facial features, and the blooded marks that were appearing around his wrists and ankles, a sign of how he had tried to remove himself from the iron manacles to no avail.

'_This is evil… an act of unnecessary evil!' _Aeris was trembling now, too afraid to look into the water again. Seeing Sephiroth so young, and in so much pain…it truly broke her heart, and yet Aeris knew there was nothing she could do to fight the wrongs born from a past memory. Her eyes fearfully flitted back to the pool to glimpse the horror of the wounded youth before darting her gaze away again. Her maternal instincts wanted to save him. Aeris wanted to nurse the boy back to health and protect him from every cruelty of the world that had tried to thwart and harm him. _'…These memories…is this why Sephiroth has given up on the light…? I never knew the pain…the suffering he must have experienced under Shinra's hand…This is beyond monstrous…this is…__**bloody **__**evil**__!_'

Aeris knew she could no longer hide away from the evil that lived on the planet. Sephiroth had shown her this gory memory for a reason. She needed to understand why. Aeris looked from the bloodied child in the water, to the winged warrior at her side. The brunette did not conceal any of the pure horror she was feeling in her heart and mind. Aeris could not comprehend the amount of mental trauma Sephiroth must have experienced over the years at the hands of that one psychotic scientist. And yet, despite the horrors that Sephiroth had experienced throughout his life, he still seemed to maintain a sense of rational control over his mental faculties. Aeris felt her eyes tear up. Sephiroth had journeyed a path born of only bloodshed and suffering. And in travelling this path of hell, Sephiroth had turned himself into the perfect SOLDIER for Shinra…

'_But at what cost?'_

'…_.Morality is sacrificed for pure **perfection**. Oh my God…'_

Aeris raised a trembling hand on the swordsman's arm. Now she finally understood the source of Sephiroth's inner hatred. Now Aeris realised the source of his darkness. Sephiroth's source of evil had been burning inside of him, ever since he was a child, waiting to escape out at the right time. Since no one had been there to save him from Shinra's cruelty and madness….his only chance to escape the world was by submitting himself to mental damnation.

The brunette's eyes wavered. It finally made sense. Sephiroth had experienced only pain and death. No wonder why his mind was so fragile. Now Aeris understood Sephiroth's dream. Sephiroth wanted to turn everything pure white, to remove the darkness that Shinra had implanted in his heart. He wanted to free himself from the monster that lived inside him…he just did not know how…

This horrific truth reinforced the flower maiden's belief in her Cetra Burden. Aeris did not want to see any more bloodshed or death. She knew now, more than ever that she had to bring Sephiroth from the darkness and into the light. Death was not the answer.

"Death is necessary for life to maintain its purity." Sephiroth stated beside her, making her jump softly. Sephiroth stared at Aeris passively, before turning his gaze downwards at the young, bloodied reflection of himself in the pool of water. The swordsman revealed no clear emotion in his eyes, as he passed his hand across the water to shift the ripples of water into other equally cruel memories he had experienced on the Planet.

Aeris could not stop gasping..

So…much _blood_…

He endured so much _madness_…and this was _before_ he found Jenova in Nibelheim….

It seemed the stories forming in the water were drawn of only death and destruction. Aeris quickly realised that other than killing, swordsmanship, and visiting the occasional brothel, Sephiroth had experienced no real joy in life. This horrific realisation was…..very…depressing as it was equally distressing.

The images had now taken on a disgusting turn. Everything that was living and non were being repeatedly impaled and stabbed, whether it was by a needle puncturing skin or a blade puncturing through bone. There was so much violence it was almost unbearable. From the memories alone, Aeris could only draw out a singular realisation. **Killing** was the only thing Sephiroth could think about. His memories of death seemed as unending as they were so unbearable.

When the images started to become too gory, Aeris had to turn her head away in disgust and fear. She didn't turn her head fast enough, as her mind captured an image in the water of Masamune gouging out a Wutainese man's left eye. Aeris dropped down to her knees, and fought the urge to vomit. Sephiroth continued to stand beside her, allowing her a small reprieve from his mental darkness. He turned his head back to the water and eyed every past memories he had experienced during the bloody war of Wutai. His memories of the past never affected him anyone. He felt no guilt, nor pain at the sight of death. Only a calm acceptance.

"Please…"

Mako eyes darted to the female bent over beside him.

"Please... Don't show me any more death." Aeris begged shakily, purposely avoiding the pool of death that was still whirling more images of bloody horror.

Hearing the desperate plea in her words, Sephiroth spread his palms above the bloodied mirages in the water, and the pool returned to its regular pale hue. " To understand my dream of the future little one, you needed to see why there are so many others who have been bound to my singular existence. You see Aeris, any man or woman whose death has been connected to me, whether they fell by my blade, or were biologically damned by that foolish failure of a scientist Hojo, now they have all been connected to my mimetic legacy. My fallen enemies and allies are Remnants of my legacy, and that is why they are bound to me, even in death, for my Reunion."

"Reunion?" Aeris voiced softly, trying to absorb the swordsman's words to no avail.

Sephiroth nodded and swept his hand across the water again, to reveal an image of the white lands of his Sanctuary, and the many followers praying outside his pale temple. The warrior paused to marvel at the beauty of his own creation before continuing on.

"Everyone who has been summoned to my Sanctuary have arrived here only because their connection to me is much greater than their connection to this worthless Planet. Aeris, those who have entered my Sanctuary have come to fulfil one purpose alone. In truth, those men and women outside these white walls are nothing more than mere puppets to me…Remnants of my past…deformed cells that have returned to me after being parted from me for so long, due to my attacks in the lifestream.. And now, the final time has come. What were once divided, will now return. That is the basis of my Reunion."

Aeris still did not understand. "But what does that mean? I still do not understand what you are saying." It seemed Sephiroth was repeating the same words which simply had no meaning to her. Remnants? Puppets? The pale faces of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz flickered in her mind. She was still unable to decipher the dark connection between them and Sephiroth. Sephiroth's references of them being Puppets and Remnants to him were not making things any clearer.

The swordsman folded his arms into a confident stance. This action caused the wing behind his right shoulder to flex proudly into the air. "If you do not understand my words little one, worry not, for I can show you the truth. Look back into the water and you will understand all."

Aeris did so without question. She wanted to know the answer to the mystery of the many silver haired followers. Her innocent green eyes stared down into the coffin of water. As the ripples formed across the surface, they congealed into a vision which Aeris recognised as the first room of the Sanctuary Temple. The familiar white room with the large pool of black water that was surrounded by stark white grass. She remembered her trippy experience when she crazily drank some of the dark water.

The brunette blinked.

Nothing seemed to be happening in the room.

She blinked again.

But the room did not seem to change.

Aeris was beginning to get a little confused. Then suddenly, the great white doors of the temple opened up, and Aeris watched in amazement as a long line silver haired worshipers entered the pale building in obedient rows of two. And in these diligent pairs, the silver haired residents of the Sanctuary, some adorned in black leathers, others in ivory robes, all walked a straight clean line towards the black pool of water. Aeris blinked as she watched the first front pair of silver haired individuals stop directly before the dark pool.

And that was when it _happened_.

The two pale haired beings turned to each other. Without warning, a fountain of blood gushed through the air, staining the white grass red. Aeris threw a hand over her mouth. She watched in horror as the silver haired warriors fell forwards into the black pool, sinking down into the dark and inky depths.

Aeris' eyes dilated with fright.

She had no idea what had just happened.

The watery mirage made her think back to an equally scary memory..

Aeris remembered the time she had watched many silver haired beings fall down the windy chasm inside the Northern Crater. Yazoo and Kadaj had informed her then, that their Brothers and Sisters were not committing suicide as it so seemed. Instead, they were simply following the regular protocol of entering the portal to reach the Sanctuary. A place hidden in the lifestream, protected by Sephiroth's will.

However unlike that disturbing memory of the Northern Crater…the strange ritual killings in the water seemed so very different. Unlike the followers in the Northern Crater who seemed more than willing to jump into the chasm of the unknown, the men and women lined up inside the temple …did not seem to share the same enthusiasm. As Aeris drew her attention to the next pair of men were sacrificing their lives before the pool of black water, Aeris realised that their faces seemed to be coloured with anguish and genuine despair… It was at that moment, Aeris realised that whatever reasons Sephiroth's followers had entered the temple for, it did not appear to be of their own will. To her, it truly did not seem like an allusion. The followers were being lined up for their own slaughter. Aeris threw a hand over her mouth, as another pair of men drew out identical blades, slitting their own throats, before falling forwards into the wide, black pool.

And then the next pair followed to repeat the same procedure as their fallen Brothers.

The same horrific scene was repeated for the next pair of men…

And then the next…

And the next…

And despite the deaths, the lines of men and women never seemed to reduce in length. Instead more followers continued to join the back of the row. It seemed unending.

And Aeris had seen enough. "Oh Gods!" Aeris gasped, feeling ill at seeing so much death in the watery coffin, but unable to turn her gaze away. What she was seeing was so unnatural. So insane... Aeris could not understand why all these worshippers would queue up for their own slaughter when it was clear on their faces that they did not want to go through psychotic madness. And as more of the silver haired victims plummeted down into the black pool, the water began to shift into a dirty crimson hue. Even the white blades of grass had long lost all of their once pure innocence. The white was now warping into violent crimson colours, and blotches of dark madness.

"What? What's happening? Why are they all doing that?" Aeris gasped in horror, as she stumbled away from the coffin of water, and turned to Sephiroth for answers.

"This is the Reunion. What you have now just seen were my Remnants returning back to me where they rightfully belong. By sharing my cells, these Remnants can be reborn once again as a part of me. When the last Remnant submits to me, then my bonding process will be complete. Then and only then, will I be whole again."

Aeris' face suddenly turned an unhealthy chalk white. Suddenly the image of Kadaj's young smiling face filled her mind, followed by Yazoo's passive face.

'_So this is the real truth behind their connection. Kadaj and Yazoo…and everyone else here in the Sanctuary…They are all Remnants who share a part of Sephiroth's very being inside of them…and that means-'_

"-all these people in the Sanctuary, and all your followers….. Will be sacrificed.. so you can live again?" Aeris blanched with horror. Kadaj's face was flashing in her mind's eye. "You have sentenced all those people… to their own deaths…?"

"My Remnants do not die in the way you seem to think. They can never die, for they are all connected to me in one way or the other. I am simply…putting their souls to a better use. Instead of returning their souls to the Planet. My puppets are returning to me, and me alone. My cells that were dispersed from me during the life stream's vicious attacks will now be reunited once more. Soon I will become whole. This is the core of my Reunion." Sephiroth's dark aquiline features were now smiling knowingly at the horrified brunette. "Now you see the truth little one. Now you finally understand everything."

If Sephiroth believed Aeris understood, he was sorely mistaken. "No I don't see! I understand nothing! None of this makes sense. You are going to kill all these people to be whole?" Aeris exclaimed. Aeris no longer cared for the mystical connection she had once craved to know between Kadaj and Sephiroth. She never knew this connection would hold such a dark and twisted secret. The flower maiden refused to allow Sephiroth to happily kill off so many innocents who so clearly adored him, whether they were bound to him by looks or genes. Murder was just wrong. So conceited…so evil..!

'…_.but was it not moments before, that I understood the source of Sephiroth's evil…? Knowing the truth as I do now.. can I really deny Sephiroth his vengeance?'_

An image of Kadaj's innocent beaming face flashed in her mind.

And Aeris' thoughts were instantly decided. "NO! I can't let you go through with this!"

It seemed Sephiroth was ready for the brunette's defiance to his dark intentions. He had anticipated it. "Oho, why feign such anger to me little one? My Remnants are simply returning to me and Mother. Nothing more," Sephiroth answered carelessly. All the while, his mako-tainted eyes danced with an internal madness for pure power. " So do not feel upset over the fate of mere puppets who have no genuine meaning to you, nor harbour any genuine emotion that is rightfully their own. My Remnants are merely small branches of my own will. And that being thus, inevitably all my puppets will be drawn back inside of me. As I am in their blood, they know I am their only future. They will all live again, as a part of me."

Aeris gripped her head with frustration. It seemed now whenever Sephiroth spoke to her, madness and murder were the only topics of conversation. Aeris could not understand why all of Sephiroth's plans seemed to involve some form of bloodshed. The revelation made the flowergirl shake with nervous fury. Suddenly she felt the desperate urge to scream. Again the crazed swordsman had the power to throw her sanity to the winds. "This is crazy!" she yelled, unable to vocalise any other rational thought than the truth she knew in her heart. "You are crazy!"

"Crazy?" Sephiroth chuckled softly, whilst shaking his head to dismiss the brunette's words as pure nonsense. "I aim to become whole again, and you consider my methods to be mentally unsound? Do you not realise little one, that during my two travels across the Planet's lifestream, my body was sacrificed to gain the knowledge of the Ancients? Both times, the lifestream had tried to destroy my spirit, but my will was too strong for them to defeat me. But now, without my real body, I cannot truly return to the surface of this Planet. Fortunately, my Mother made this Sanctuary for me, so that my soul is safely trapped in temporal stasis. This temple here is my core protection from Gaia's wrath. Using this water, I can use my Remnants as I see fit to traverse the surface of this world. But now that you are here, everything can be put into action… soon I will return to my former strength and be whole again. Then a ghost of a man will not be standing before you Aeris, but a real God, worthy of laying claim over this entire Planet!" And with that exclamation, Sephiroth flexed his wing out in excitement and drew his arms up in the air with pride.

The flowergirl shuddered. The swordsman's dream was truly frightening. "But others…others still need to die for you to fulfil your dreams? Even Kadaj?" Aeris asked horrifically. Aeris could not seem to get that thought out of her head.

The swordsman's brows twitched uncomfortably at the fond reverence the flowergirl seemed to have found with one of his insignificant Remnants. "Hahaha, I would almost be jealous of your attachment to one of my puppets, if Kadaj was not a remnant of me. To be jealous of Kadaj would mean I could be jealous of my own left arm." Sephiroth chuckled and folded his arms. "And yes, Kadaj will return like all the others to become one with me."

Aeris drew her arms around herself, all the while shuddering. In her mind, all she could see was his innocent face. The child that had called her Mother had unknowingly filled a very large part of the flowergirl's heart. Knowing that Sephiroth had planned such a fiendish plan of death for all those who loyally followed him in the Sanctuary made her feel violently ill.

"So that means Kadaj…he will disappear into that black water.. And I will never see him again?" Aeris shook her head at the thought. She clenched her hands over her breasts with true terror for the young teen. Kadaj…and the others…they truly had no idea what fate was soon to befall him.

'_Kadaj…Yazoo…Loz….everyone in the Sanctuary will die, in order to turn Sephiroth into a God?!'_

'…_.And when Sephiroth becomes a God of Death…then his next target is the very Planet herself!'_

'_I..I can't let him do this!'_

Sephiroth nodded in affirmation. "All their sacrifices will be for a good cause. Instead of returning to the Planet, they will all instead, return into me."

'…_Kadaj….'_

The image of the young teen's beaming face continued to flicker in her mind. The boy who always called her Mother… Aeris knew that if Sephiroth got his way… If he fulfilled his dreams of world domination…then Kadaj would be no more…she would never see him again… she would never hear him call her Mother…she could never show him her flower garden…

Aeris could **never** let that happen!

She got to her feet. She had to bring Sephiroth down!

"No!" Aeris exclaimed as she thought of the innocent teen ceasing to exist. "Are you mad?! You cannot do this! All your followers outside care for you! How could you betray their trust like that?"

"I have not betrayed them," Sephiroth answered with a confident shrug. "They are simply fulfilling the final act that fate has written for them all. They know I am their final destiny…In the end, my Remnants will all return to become a part of me once more."

Again Sephiroth's insanity was disguised through warped reason. Aeris felt the bond of her own mental stability breaking. "B-but that's crazy, Even if you killed all those people to become a God, what would you do with all that power?"

The swordsman's eyes narrowed and his pale lips smiled softly.

"This is something you already know Aeris. I will cleanse this Planet of all life and start anew." Aeris stumbled backwards, as if she was physically hurt by the swordsman's words. This was exactly what the Planet had feared. It still tore her up to know how deeply Sephiroth had fallen into the realms of dark and twisted madness. "No! No! No!" Aeris yelled helplessly. Sephiroth was not phased by her disapproval. He simply continued on smiling all the while. "This is my duty Aeris, for I am the chosen one. My will cannot be defiled. No one on this Planet governs the power to dispute me."

"No! No! No!" Aeris continued to shout.

Sephiroth still was not listening.

"When all my puppets fall, I will be reborn again. My return to the Planet is imminent now. Mother intends to aid me in the process of cleansing all life from every traitor currently breathing. Her stigma will be imprinted into those who are undeserving of life, and then in time, they will all die, thus to become a part of me."

"Sephiroth-" Aeris shuddered. "Please.- just…just.."

The swordsman ranted on. Aeris had had it!

"JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!"

Mako tainted eyes glared at the equally glowering brunette. Sephiroth was now listening. And Aeris knew she had a lot to say. "Your Mother…this woman you speak of all the time, who drives your dreams, her name is Jenova right?"

The swordsman nodded. Aeris knew this was her seed of hope. She knew that with the right words, she knew she could make Sephiroth see reason. She had to try. The Planet was depending on her!

"And you kill because your Mother…_Jenova_ has told you to kill the traitors?"

The swordsman nodded and was about to speak, but the brunette beat him to it.

"Well I'm sorry to admit this to you Sephiroth, **but the being you call Mother is not your real Mother at all**!" Aeris shouted out.

The swordsman blinked slowly. "Go on," The swordsman stated passively, not phased by the brunette's words. Aeris blinked. His lack of a response was certainly a surprise to her. There was no threat in his voice. No severe frown, nor angry tick of a trapped nerve above his eye. Aeris knew she had to have been hitting a sensitive nerve, and yet the swordsman made no visual account of being affected by her emotional outburst. Aeris knew she had to try harder for Sephiroth to see reason. "**Also! That thing you call your Mother is not even a real Cetra. She is the ****Calamity**** that KILLED off the Cetra! Jenova is a disease that makes its host ill with madness!" **Aeris yelled, all the while staring into the swordsman's mako tainted orbs. She needed to make him see the light. She had to get through to him. The flower maiden's voice suddenly shifted into a pleading tone, and she clasped her hands together. "Please, please, please don't give in to Jenova's madness Sephiroth. You are so much stronger than that! You don't need to continue this insanity any longer! "

"Give in to madness?" Sephiroth chuckled softly. "This insanity?" The swordsman shook his shoulders with genuine mirth. This flowergirl could make him genuinely laugh at times. "Mother neither controls me, nor makes me ill with madness. I am perfectly sane. My will is my own and my intentions bare no signs of madness nor illogical thinking. I am simply seeking revenge against all those who have wronged me. Do you deny me my rightful vengeance?"

"But if Jenova is not controlling you, why do you claim to be fight on behalf of the Cetra?" Sephiroth's warped logic was making no sense to the brunette. First Sephiroth admitted one thing, then he changed his words to mean something else. Aeris knew he was certainly mad. He just didn't see the madness in himself. "That's what makes no sense at all! Anyway your supposed Mother has HURT the Planet and KILLED off the Cetra. Because of this, the Planet is scared of her, and that is why she is scared of you!"

The dark angel quirked an eyebrow at the brunette's further outbursts. "The Planet fears me?" Sephiroth shook his head with a slight chuckle. This was not new knowledge to the pale haired swordsman. This was something he was very much aware of. "The Planet deserves to fear me. It deserves to feel so much more than fear, after everything it has tried to do to me." The swordsman drew a hand into a fist. "I swore myself an enemy of this Planet when I realised it only gives birth to worthless traitors. Unless I get what I truly desire, I shall grant this Planet eternal despair."

Tear's pricked the brunette's eyes. "You cant!" Aeris gasped. "You are not talking sense. Think about what you are saying! Do not see the Planet as your enemy!"

"I know full well what I am saying Aeris. The Planet has become my enemy, as I am hers. And to bring her to her knees, I shall make the Planet my servant."

"But-" Aeris protested. She was on the Planet's side. She was struggling to find the words to fight against the madness. "Why do you need to control the Planet in the first place? What would you get out of doing that? Why do you need to bring about so much death to create even a small semblance of life? Can't you see that what you are trying to accomplish is wrong in every possible way!"

The swordsman tensed his lips and brow into a wary expression. "I see. You still do not have the ability to understand me on this matter. Do not worry Aeris, for you will, very soon."

Aeris was losing hope in finding the light in the dark hearted swordsman. She knew she had to stop Sephiroth, but he did not seem to be listening to any word she said. Her words of truth did not seem to be getting through to him. "Sephiroth why did you even want to bring me here in the first place? If you plan to kill everyone here, and everyone on the Planet…why me? Why save only me? I am half-**human** remember!"

With her words, the smile on the swordsman's lips faded, and as time passed in silence, the brunette was beginning to get anxious.

"Because you are half-Cetra aswell." Sephiroth eventually replied.

Aeris wanted to scream aloud with rage. "But that's the very thing! THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM IN ITSELF! You are NOT even a CETRA! You know that! This mass genocide plan makes absolutely no sense! Your real HUMAN Mother was KILLED by SHINRA just like my real Mother and Father were. I have even met a man who knew your real biological Father. So if you plan to fight on behalf of a species that is NOT even of your own kind, that just makes you a-a-…..REALLY THICK IDIOT!"

The warrior's eyes narrowed at the female's insult to his person. Sephiroth was less than amused by the brunette's words. "You think I can be redeemed by your naïve interpretation of what you conceive as the truth? There is only one truth here Aeris, and I have witnessed it." Sephiroth advanced towards her unflinchingly and Aeris stepped back warily.

"Aeris I know much more than what you think to realise little one. I have coursed through the bowels of the Planet twice. During both times, I have learnt everything from the lifestream that is worthy of knowing. And what I have learnt is this… while man can hold back the truth, the Planet cannot. The lifestream cannot lie. While travelling through her waters, the lifestream unknowingly granted me knowledge, the ultimate knowledge of becoming her rightful master. That is why the Planet fears me. Why else do you think the Planet wishes to destroy me?"

This additional revelation was too much to bear. "But why?….Why do you need to conquer an entire Planet in the first place…?" Aeris knew this was not a fight she could hope to win. Sephiroth's mind had descended even further down the path of megalomaniacal madness.

"This is my _**destiny **_Aeris," Sephiroth answered assuredly. "No one can deny me what I see as mine."

Aeris vigorously shook her head. "No! This is not your intended destiny at all! Seph, do you want to know why I travelled all this way to see you? I came here to make you see reason. I came to bring you back to the light." Aeris refused to give up on him. She knew there must be some tiny part of Sephiroth which still believed in the light. She knew that if she could find it, then Sephiroth could be saved from his own mental damnation. However the swordsman's next words dowsed the flowergirl's hopes of finding such a light. "But I am not in the darkness little one. I have seen the light of truth, and its paves me towards my glorious future. I already know what awaits me at the end of my path. _**Divine conquest**_."

The flowergirl rigorously shook her head. "No! No! No! You don't see any light! If you did, you wouldn't be attempting to commit such evil things on this Planet!" Aeris cried out. "Sephiroth please listen to me, I want to tell you something that my biological Mother told me on my way here to you. She told me that the Planet intends to destroy you if you continue on with your insane plan. And… I…I don't want that to happen! I can't stand the thought of you being hurt…or dying," With that vital realisation, tears soon began to fall and Aeris made no attempt to hide her emotional trauma from the apostate angel. "…but I-I don't want you to hurt the Planet either. Please don't let my nightmares come true. I don't want the Planet to scatter your soul out into the cosmos…"

Sensing her consuming fear for his death, stirred a foreign feeling in the swordsman. He could not define what the exact emotion was, so he mentally dismissed it out of his mind. "Do not fear for me little one, for I will _never_ die. I cannot die. The Planet can never kill me. It has already tried twice, and failed both times. What makes you think it will succeed a third time? That is the truth of why the Planet fears me. For you see, when I become God, I will be completely immortal. I will cleanse the Planet of all her putrid life. And then, when the time comes, powerless Gaia will turn to me, pleading my help to bring new life back to this worthless world. Now, can you see what destiny lies before me? Before us? So Aeris, why? Why do you still continue to cry before me even when you know the glorious truth?"

Aeris covered her eyes with a hand. She could not stop sobbing after hearing the swordsman's words. She wanted to save him. She needed to. But it seemed killing was the only thing Sephiroth could think to do. Aeris could not understand why killing things seemed to be the only way to make him happy. Why couldn't she be enough to make him happy? Aeris knew in that moment that she had failed the Planet. Not even Vincent's words of truth could sway Sephiroth to the side of the light.

"My journey here has all been in vain.." Aeris choked out. Her legs were ready to give up on her. She did not know what to do now. Sanity had lost to madness. She could not defeat Sephiroth's insanity. She had failed. "Oh Gods…" She knew now, without a doubt, that Sephiroth intended to fulfil his dreams of mass murder, and his merciless killings were going to begin first in the Sanctuary…before travelling out to destroy all life on the surface of the Planet. It was madness. Pure madness.

"Nothing you have done has been in vain little one," The pale angel murmured in a soft tone unbefitting of a mass murderer. "Your journey to come to me was all a part of my Reunion."

Aeris could not respond to him. She was still crying, but now her eyes were locked on the cold and heartless angel. And Sephiroth continued on. "You see, I still intend to remove all the human imperfections that lie in your body. To do this, I plan to merge your body with my own Mother, Jenova. In doing this, you two shall become one and that will be the moment you reach the true pinnacle of perfection."

The flowergirl's damp eyes bugged. It took precisely three seconds for the brunette to fully register what Sephiroth has just said "W-WHAT?"

Amused by her emotional response, the swordsman continued on. "In all my time that I have known you, I have been aware of your differences to the traitors on this planet. For this reason alone I am allowing _only_ you the glorious privilege of standing by my side. When I merge you with Mother, you will become one with her, and thus become one with me. You will transform to be the Goddess Fallen from the Skies; The _**Mother**_ of our Neo Promised Land."

'_The Mother of the Neo Promised Land?'_

'_Mother_…?'

Aeris echoed the word in her mind.

"_Mother_…"

Repeating that single word to herself, Kadaj's face suddenly popped into her mind once more. Ever since that fated day when the young teen kidnapped her from her friends in Wutai, Kadaj had never failed to courteously address her by the title of Mother. Aeris always believed it was only used as a warped pet name that had no true meaning at all. Kadaj had never been able to explain a logical reason why he always called her Mother…for in truth, he never knew the exact reason himself. He did so accordingly, only because Sephiroth had told him too. In her mind, Aeris could remember nearly every memory of when Kadaj called her by that same name. He had called her Mother so many times…too many times to count…

The word _**Mother**_ was haunting her conscious.

Aeris raised a hand to her palpitating chest. She had finally uncovered all the mysteries surrounding Kadaj, Mother, and Sephiroth. All the questions she had, had finally been answered, and now that Aeris knew the entire truth….she was bloody _**furious**_!

"Sephiroth! How dare you believe I will even merge with your monster of a false Mother? She is not your Mother! Just listen to my words and accept them. Jenova is **NOT** your **REAL MOTHER**! Your real Mother is a woman named Lucrecia and she-"

"-died giving birth to me." The swordsman drawled calmly. "And yet the Planet has told me otherwise. I am also aware that the Jenova cells coursing through her body refuses her to die. She is currently trapped between the void of two worlds, unable to die, and yet unable to live. She was far too weak to even attend my Reunion. Why would I care about such a useless vessel as she? She was only one of the many tools that was necessary to bring me into this world. She means absolutely nothing to me."

Aeris gaped at him. What Sephiroth had just said was so diabolical. She did not even think Vincent knew about the fate of Sephiroth's mother. "But H-how do you know this?" Aeris asked shockingly, as all colour left her face. She could not believe it. "Who told you this?"

The beginnings of a triumphant smile was curled on the cruel angel's lips. "I have already told you before little one. I have travelled through the core of the Planet's lifestream. I am aware of every secret on Gaia, including every secret about me, and even every secret that is about you."

"Secrets?" Aeris voiced warily. She had no idea what the mad swordsman was talking about now. She was almost too afraid to find out. "What secrets do you know about me?"

The swordsman smirked knowingly. "You truly believe that if I knew about my biological birth Mother, that I could be influenced away from my dreams? You insult me. Have you always thought I could be so weak? So easily influenced?" The swordsman shook his head with a knowing grin. "No-one can turn me away from true Godhood." The flowergirl's jaw dropped. She completely gaped in horror at the crazed swordsman. She couldn't believe it. She was misinformed. Sephiroth knew. He knew everything about his past…and yet he still wanted to continue on with his crazy plan. Aeris did not know what to do or say. She was thunderstruck with horror. Sensing her mental trauma, the swordsman chuckled softly. "Ah, do not be so naïve with me my little one. The simple words you have learnt from the son of a traitor cannot change my destiny so easily. Soon I shall be complete, and then everything will go according to my will."

"But…aren't there another way you can be complete without sacrificing everyone to achieve your dreams? Why is killing the only thing that can fulfil your desires? Can't you find other ways to make you feel complete?" Aeris cried out, as she grabbed the dark angel's arm in a desperate plea. She could not give up on him. She had to make him see the light. "Why couldn't you try to save the world without harming others? There must be a way for you to achieve happiness without committing so much evil! I don't want anyone to die. I don't want the Planet to kill you and I don't want you to kill anyone either! Why does everything you do have to be revolved around death?" Aeris wept aloud.

The cold hearted swordsman expression bore a distasteful expression upon her. "I see, you still have not overcome your fear of death, have you Aeris?" Sephiroth chuckled again to himself, whilst shaking his head. "Well you need not worry yourself over such matters, soon you will never have to experience a mortal feeling such as fear again. When Meteor finishes casting judgement on this world, the Planet will be reborn. And here in the Sanctuary you will remain safe from all harm till its your time to return back to the surface."

Sephiroth's words only made her tears fall even harder. Aeris realised the light of logic and reason simply were not strong enough forces to fight against the dark depths of genuine madness.

Sephiroth was unimpressed by the brunette's actions. "Tell me Aeris, why do you continue to cry even when I am granting you the path of becoming a Goddess?"

"Because this is **NOT WHAT I WANT! THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT!" **Aeris screeched as she drew her hand to hit the man before her. "Sephiroth tell me why…? Why? Why? **WHY!?**"

"The question is not why. But when?" Sephiroth interrupted her quickly, as he forcefully grabbed her attacking arm, and trapped it between their two bodies. "If I do not act now, when will this real madness end? You say I am the mad one but feast your eyes on this existing Planet? Those who currently possess artificial power like Shinra, control all those who have none. And yet the human fools who you attempt to protect…their artificial power is not born from themselves, but from the weaknesses of others who are too afraid to up rise them. But Aeris, I am not like any of them. I am different from Shinra. I do not need a company , or an army to signify my power. I am power absolute! That is why I am the chosen one. Aeris, why do you wish for me to turn against my intended destiny? Why defy me? Don't you dare think about becoming a traitor to me Aeris. It will be the last thing that you regret." Sephiroth threatened, as he shook the brunette's arm angrily. Sephiroth knew he had the power to make her submit. It was only a matter of time before she would give in to him.

Aeris cried out in pain as she tried to pull her arm away from the dark swordsman, but his grip was unrelenting. "Please let me go," the flowergirl cried. Those words seemed to be the ones to say, for the swordsman pulled her arm even harder. "Please Seph, don't do this. You are making me lose hope in you."

"Hope has never existed on this Planet, only despair." Sephiroth replied darkly as he glared down on her feeble form. "This Planet can only give birth to the impure. That is why I need to change things. Only I have the power to do this!"

"But you are wrong! So very wrong!" Aeris cried while shaking her head. She used all her strength to yank her arm away from the swordsman's vicelike grip. Sephiroth's madness was becoming infectious. She could feel it attacking her own mental psyche.

"I am not wrong. Accept my words as truth, I lay claim over this entire Planet. I am a rightful ruler as are you!"

"But Cetras don't rule! They heal. I have spoken to my birth Mother and she has told me the truth of the Cetra Burden. We do not cleanse. We do not hurt. We heal! And we definitely do not want reckoning!"

'_Why was not Sephiroth listening?'_ To Aeris, everything seemed so hopeless.

"Oho? The Planet has told you this herself?" Sephiroth chuckled cruelly, as he stared into the orbs of the terrified flowergirl. "Then answer these questions to me Cetra. The Cetra dutifully follow the desires of the Planet?"

Aeris nodded fearfully. She remembered Ifalna's words. She was aware of her Cetra Burden.

"Hmm," The one winged swordsman raised a mocking brow towards her. "And did you not tell me that the Planet desires to kill me? Hahaha. Then this is the true desire of the Cetra. They Cetra desire to kill me!" Sephiroth was now smirking in victory. "Your pitiful talk of healing means nothing to the Planet. Gaia is using you as one of her puppets to kill me, since she cannot kill me herself!" Aeris trembled at the sight of madness stretched across the swordsman's face. The evil pride in his triumphant grin sank the brunette into another coil of despair. "Now you realise the truth Aeris. All men desire to kill. All Cetra desire to kill. Even the planet desires to kill. Everyone's nature is to kill!"

Aeris closed her eyes at the raging insanity that was baring before her. "But I do not want to kill you! I don't want to harm anything or anyone!" Aeris cried out. _If only there was a way to get Sephiroth to understand. _"I only want you to happy Seph. I want you to return to the light. Please, I don't want to be there when the Planet takes you down. Please I could not bear if anything happened to you."

They were talking in reels again.

Aeris begged for him to see reason..

But Sephiroth refused to listen to her pleas.

He could only reply with warped insanity.

"Like I told you, nothing will happen to me Aeris for I cannot die. I am immortal. As will you when I get round to merging you with Mother."

Aeris bowed her head to the ground.

She could think of no more words to say.

It was finally over.

She could think of no more words to say.

She had truly _**failed**_.

Sephiroth……was lost to her.

The madness had claimed him.

Aeris realised only now that she had no chance of converting him to the light. Sephiroth's soul was polluted with too much darkness. If anything, Sephiroth was tainting her own light. His dark powers were luring her into her own mental reels of madness.

'_It was the end. Oh gods. This is truly the end.'_

More tears slipped out of her tear ducts, as she wept on the white grass.

"Why continue to weep little one? You have no reason to despair." Sephiroth mocked softly, as he crouched down beautifully to stare upon the brunette's broken expression "Yes I do. I cry and despair for you." Aeris wept. Her beloved companion had fallen into the realms of darkness, not even her light of hope could hope to draw him out.

"This Planet is far past saving. I can change things for the better. There will be no more Shinra. No more war." Sephiroth murmured to her softly.

"War always exist. You cant make everyone happy." Aeris replied hollowly, as she turned shadowed eyes on the pure white grass beneath her. She refused to look up at the pale angel any longer. "When there is only one individual who craves power, war is imminent."

The swordsman raised a brow. "But then all potential upstarts can be diminished as easily as they arise. In my world, no one will be my equal. Do you doubt my power to control others?" Sephiroth stated calmly.

Aeris raised a shaking fist to her mouth. She was so emotionally frustrated. In that moment, she realised there was nothing more she could do. She had no power to save her former companion…and it made her feel so worthless. The realisation that she had failed both the Planet and Sephiroth were breaking her heart to pieces. Aeris felt herself sink even further into darker realms of true despair. "You know what Seph," Aeris voiced after a moment, as she bravely turned her head up, to look the dark swordsman straight in the eye. "I want you to return me back to the surface of the planet. You know you are powerful enough to manage your dreams of world domination on your own. I can never be of any use to you. So please, I beg of you, let me finish the remainder of my life on the planet's surface and let me die with the rest of the mankind. I refuse to live here, knowing that everyone died when I could not save them."

"You know I will not allow that." Sephiroth replied with a simple shake of his head.

More tears slipped from her eyes. She turned her head away to conceal her broken expression. This was the answer she had truly expected from him. That did not mean she wanted to hear it. "Why?!?" Her voice had long since cracked. Now it was entirely shattered.

"You already know why you are here with me," Sephiroth answered calmly, as he raised the brunette's chin so that her tearstained face was looking only at him. Aeris tried to pull away but his hold on her person kept her immobile.

The tears were blurring her vision. "Please let me go, I really don't know anything about you anymore Seph. I don't know what you are capable of," Aeris whispered fearfully as she looked into the swordsman's mako tainted eyes, seeing only darkness and madness swirling from within.

"You know I am capable of everything," Sephiroth answered calmly, as he dipped his head a little lower, and raised her chin even higher so that they were directly eye level with each other.

And then the swordsman smiled. It was the first real smile he had shown her that was not warped by cruel madness. "I will not let you go Aeris, for you know you are mine," he answered possessively.

Aeris felt herself sink even further in despair. "But I am not yours!" Aeris cried out, as she wrenched her chin away from his touch. "I want to know what has happened! There is something missing in you Seph. Where has your humanity gone? Where is your compassion? Tell me, where has it gone? This can't be you Seph. These cannot be the real you."

"I was never human, and my dreams have never been any more real than this." Sephiroth replied honestly to her. "What you see now is the real me. I am concealing nothing from you." And as proof of his testament, Sephiroth rose up from his crouched position to stand to his full height. He fully extended his onyx wing outwards for her to see. Aeris once again gaped at the dark plumes. "I have no ties to humanity. I have transcended myself beyond the weaknesses of my former ancestors and all the traitors who are currently circulating and polluting this planet with their filth. I do not belong with them, as they do not belong with me."

"But that cannot be," Aeris gasped. "You are still human. I know you are."

The muscular warrior lip's twitched upwards at the brunette's ignorance. "You deny my words even though your eyes can see the truth?" Sephiroth answered, as he flexed his onyx wing even more. Aeris felt her attention drawn to the perfect feathers. They were so beautiful. But Sephiroth's words and intentions were so monstrous. He was such a twisted contradiction.

"Humans are not born with wings like these," Sephiroth added calmly.

"But angels are." The words slipped from the flowergirl's lips before she even had a chance to think.

The warrior's dark expression briefly lit up with ill humour. "Angels you say?" Sephiroth echoed slowly, before he erupted into a sudden bout of violent laughter which truly terrified the brunette. "You describe me with words born from an innocent. Your naivety amuses me little one. Are you aware that Angels are **not** born to slay the blood of man. I was fated to be mankind's executioner. And yet you call me an angel? Hahaha," Sephiroth truly could not stop laughing. "I am no more an angel, than I am a human."

"Then what are you?" Aeris voiced weakly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

And with her simple question, the darkness slipped back into the swordsman's cold features. All traces of his earlier humour had faded. "In your heart you already know what I am. Aeris, I am a monster."

The flowergirl's heart leapt up into her throat, as she remembered Ifalna's words she told during her watery dream inside the City of the Ancients.

o0o0o0o

0o0

"_The __**Spawn**__ of __**Xenogenesis**__…"_

"_Instilled with __**evil**__ born _

_from the __**Calamity**__ herself._

_My child, were you not aware_

_that you were travelling_

_with the __**devil**__**incarnate**__?"_

"_That man…no, that creature_

_is a __**living**__**weapon**__._

_He was made by science,_

_not born like you or I…._

_Sephiroth is an aberration to life._

_His unnatural ability to __**kill**_

_makes him a sworn __**enemy**__ to the planet…"_

"_He is an __**enemy**__ to the Planet._

_A __**monster**__ inside the shell of a man…"_

"…_the __**black**__**materia**__ is already_

_within the __**monster's**__ hands…"_

"_The Planet's death_

_will be sealed _

_if we do not stop_

_the __**monster**__ in time…"_

0o0

o0o0o0o

Sephiroth grinned at the brunette's now growing horror. He could almost taste her fear in the air between them. "I am that which the Planet despises. I know this for I have listened to the Planet's voice. I know what she has said about me. And I do not deny the truth that is my destiny. A monster cares not for the killing and hurting of others. Why should I care about life when the Planet has condemned me to death?"

The flower maiden's eyes were stretched wide with anguish and sorrow. "Oh please no, please .. Sephiroth please, please listen to me, there is still time to change all this around! You do not have to be a monster here. You can prove the Planet and everyone else wrong! You know deep down you are not a monster. Don't do this!"

The swordsman shook his head down at her. "It is too late for such changes little one. The Planet is aware of this too. You see Aeris.." Sephiroth suddenly conjured a black orb into his hand. Aeris felt her eyes bug open with a new dawning horror. She had never seen a piece of materia so dark and big before in her life. But her conscious already knew exactly what Sephiroth was holding in his palm, and what dark magicks were secreted inside the large, black orb. "In my hand lies the power to destroy the very cosmos. This is the ultimate destructive power of the Ancients."

"No," Aeris gasped. She was staring at the tool that the Planet rightfully feared. "Y-you can't use it, you mustn't!"

The swordsman sent the brunette a patronising smile. "It is too late to persuade me. Aeris, she has already been summoned."

"Y-you…"

'…_have already summoned…the Black Materia….?'_

In that realisation, all life drained from the brunette's face. All her hopes and dreams came to a crashing halt. Now she knew without a doubt. She had 100% failed. Death awaited the surface of the planet.

Sephiroth nodded in affirmation. "Like I told you before little one, everything will go according to my will."

"No!" Aeris could not let Sephiroth get away with this. "No!" She could not let him continue with any more death and madness. "No! Stop it Sephiroth! Cancel the summoning!" Aeris cried, on her knees before the dark warrior. "Please Stop it! I beg of you!"

"There is no way of stopping her. The Planet's fate now is inevitable. In seven days Meteor shall come and the Planet will finally realise her fate unto me. " Sephiroth finished, as he stared arrogantly at the brunette bowing beneath him. Her submission beneath him pleased him quite immensely. Her visible weakness was stoking his inner confidence. Sephiroth knew he had never felt so powerful! He felt glorious.

And in his moment of glory, the flower maiden struck.

"I cannot let you do this!" Aeris yelled. Without warning, she grabbed the materia out of the swordsman's open palm and tried to smash it to the ground. But as the orb hit the white grass, it bounced harmlessly back into the swordsman's open palm. Mako tainted eyes glittered dangerously, as he looked from the black materia in his hand, to then glare into the fearful eyes of his dark haired victim. Aeris gasped fearfully, and tried to crawl backwards from the swordsman. The dark angel's gaze narrowed sharply. Fury was written in his eyes. "Aeris, you still seek to defy me?"

The flower maiden could not open her mouth to speak. She was completely terrified!

In a rage Sephiroth threw himself over the weak little flowergirl.

"Defy me again and I will grant you the despair you so eagerly desire from me!" Sephiroth snarled, as he forced the brunette roughly on her back. The white grass did little to cushion her fall. All the while, Aeris struggled beneath him defiantly, but Sephiroth refused to allow the brunette any form of control over him. "Can you not see the shining future I can make for you. Death is the only way to bring about such glorious changes! Do you truly enjoy living in a world born of human corruption? Why try to save a Planet when it's damned by its own people!"

Aeris did not stop struggling, even though her body was visibly quaking beneath his. "Because it is my duty as the last Cetra! Cetra's are born to heal, not to condemn and kill! That is why I must stop you," Aeris answered fearlessly.

"You know you cannot stop me," Sephiroth goaded, as he bent his head down to brush his lips against the brunette's throat, causing her to gasp before struggling back even more. "No one can stop me, you least of all. For even now, you reveal to me all your weaknesses, and this feeds my growing strength."

"What weaknesses?" Aeris cried out as she continued to struggle to get out of his hold.

"You love me." Aeris felt her entire world shatter. Her limbs froze and she stared up at the man smirking triumphantly above her. "Your foolish human love binds you to me in every possible way. That is what makes you weak Aeris. This is why you always submit to me without even thinking once. Hahaha, and you are already aware that I possess no such feelings of love for you. After all I am not bound to the human condition. By travelling through the lifestream twice, I have surpassed myself over every weak spirit that now walks this planet. I can never be limited to the foolish and pathetic practises of mankind. But then…you have always known this…and yet…you still are drawn to me…This is why I shall always rule you mind and soul. I will always have power over you Aeris."

The dark angel's words had more destructive power than a supernova. Aeris felt her heart and soul explode into a million pieces.

"Let me go! Please! Please!" Aeris cried out pitifully, even though she had no more strength to physically fight back. Sephiroth's words had struck a deep and dark emotional chord inside her. New tears were beginning to surface. Now she realised what Sephiroth thought of her. She was just another puppet to him. Sephiroth was playing her like he played the rest of his Remnants. He used her love for him as a tool. He knew he had the power to pull her strings to make her dance if he so willed it. Aeris knew that if Sephiroth decided to cut the threads between them, she would be completely broken.

"You do not want me to let you go, so why pretend otherwise? I know what you want my Aeris. You have always been so easy to read," Sephiroth chuckled above her. Aeris turned her head to the side. Sephiroth was just too strong. His physical grip and mental grip was holding her down. She could not move. All she could do was cry. "Do not weep little one. Soon you will have everything you rightfully desire. And I know everything you truly desire, after all the Planet has told me everything. It has shown me **all** of your dreams." The swordsman's dark lips traced her neck. His predatory fingers then began moving across the weak flowergirl's form, immobilising her, and ensnaring the girl inside a dark realm of madness.

"Please," Aeris begged feebly. Sephiroth's words and lips were emotionally attacking her heart and soul, and she was far too weak to defend herself now. She could not fight him like this. "Please…stop this."

"Stop what?" Sephiroth asked softly, as he nuzzled the side of her face. "I am merely giving you what you have always desired. You love me do you not? Do you not wish to consummate your love for me?"

Aeris choked on a sob. His words were pure poison. He was gutting her with the truth. "I..I don't want this…not like this."

"You deny yourself of your desire for me?" Now Sephiroth was indecently amused. "Why do you continue to lie when we both know what you want?"

With those words, Aeris renewed her struggling. "Stop trying to manipulate my feelings. I know full well what my desires are, as my desires are my own! I know what I want, and what I don't want. And I certainly do not want this to continue. So get the hell off me!" Aeris yelled, and with an unknown strength that she did not realise lived within her, Aeris pushed the swordsman's wayward hands off her form. His body was still towering over her small form, but at least she had created a slight distance between them.

The pale warrior stared down at the female, momentarily surprised.. Her rebellious actions did not seem to please him at all. In truth, he was a little confused. "The lifestream has told me of your unrequited love for me, so why do you push me away? Why do you deny me, when I am the only thing you want?"

The flowergirl's blood boiled with fury. Aeris slapped Sephiroth's arm angrily, causing the swordsman to growl with dark warning. "This has nothing to do with my love for you. You are trying to control me. Admit it! You are just using me! To you, I am just another puppet for you to control to your heart's content. You have told me in the past that you do not love me. Why should I let this madness between us continue on any further! Now I will say it again! GET OFF ME NOW!"

Sephiroth did so without question. He was getting even more confused by the brunette' surprising rage and resentment towards his touch. He was aware of the brunette's desires. The Lifestream had told him everything the flowergirl dreamt. He knew the planet could not had lied to him. But then the warrior could not understand why Aeris was so angry. Sephiroth knew Aeris had wanted him. He wanted to know why she was refusing his advances. To Sephiroth, Aeris was acting completely illogical.

Now that Sephiroth had moved off her form, Aeris quickly got herself up off the white grass. All the while, her chest was heaving angrily. She gazed at the swordsman with an rare intensity that she had never felt before in her life. "So this is finally it! This is the dream you wanted to create between us? You just want to dominate me. You do not want me at all. You do not care about this world at all. You just want….**power**!"

Sephiroth did not reply to the brunette's words.

He stared back at her calmly.

And with his silence, the remaining part of the flowergirl's heart that cared for him snapped in two.

'_Had I always been so wrong about him?'_ Aeris thought, as she stared at the swordsman's cold features, it seemed that the cruel and brutal truth was staring back at her. Aeris had fallen in love with a monster. A monster that was incapable of real love or genuine kindness. This monster was everything the Planet feared. It could only harm and destroy. It feasted only on power and death!

'_How did I not realise this all before?'_

The brunette's eyes flickered briefly to the black orb that was still resonating darkly in the swordsman's palm. Her eyes wavered as she realised what the orb meant.

'…_I really have failed the Planet….Oh Gods it is truly the end!'_

She tried to steel herself to look into the monster's eyes but she couldn't. She looked down at his dark boots. "Sephiroth if this is how things will always be between us, I ….I," Aeris had to turn her head away. She could no longer look at anything connected with this monster of death. "…cannot find it in my heart to love you any longer…"And with those final words Aeris turned herself away from the dark apostate angel and fled the room. All the while, Sephiroth's intense mako tainted eyes stared blankly after her. He made no attempt to stop her, nor did he have any intentions of chasing her.

Afterall…in **his** Sanctuary, Aeris had nowhere to hide…

The swordsman's lips twitched upwards, laughing softly himself.

"Silly, silly girl," He slowly shook his head before gazing down at the black materia in his hand, all the while smiling softly. "Everything will now go according to plan. And then when the Planet is cleansed, Aeris you will finally understand. I do not require love from you, only your obedience and submission to me. And now that you are here with me, the Reunion will finally begin." Chuckling softly to himself, the swordsman faced the direction where the brunette had dashed off too. He smirked as he left the room to the main entrance hall. He looked around the white grassy room. The dark haired demi-Cetra was nowhere to be seen. The swordsman shook his head. It seemed the young girl had left the temple. Not that this realisation bothered him much. The apostate angel knew the flowergirl had nowhere to go. Sephiroth knew the only way to leave the Sanctuary was to swim through the channels of the lifestream. And due to the flowergirl's extreme phobia of the water, Sephiroth did not need to worry about the brunette trying to escape from him any time soon.

The swordsman chuckled with ill mirth.

"_**It is now time…for the Reunion." **_

The familiar pulse of his Mother's voice filled the room. Jenova's blood hummed through his veins. The swordsman allowed himself to advance towards the black pool of water in the centre of the room. Kneeling by the pool, the swordsman flexed his wing outwards, before dipping a pale hand into the darkened waters. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Sephiroth could feel the strong presence of his Mother laying dormant in the black depths of the watery tomb.

"Mother," Sephiroth sighed aloud. His mako tainted eyes softened gently as he eyed the dark form at the bottom of the large pool. Staring at the dirty water for a moment longer, the one winged warrior smirked. "We have work to do."

And with those final words, black tendrils of energy began to rise from the waters. Soon the white grasses on the ground and the pale white walls of the temple began to shift into ugly shades of black and mottled silver. As the obelisk in the Sanctuary began to slowly shift from a beacon of white purity into an cruel shade of pure darkness, the swordsman smiled with devilish delight. The sign of his awakening was now there for all of his Remnants to see. Sephiroth paused momentarily to mentally erase every barrier that he had previously erected around the temple during his earlier slumber. The dark warrior could not stop smirking. Now it would only be a matter of time when all his puppets would come in loyal pairs to lay their life down willingly for their master. All his lambs had been invited to their own slaughter. And as he heard the first faint sounds of footsteps cautiously approaching the entrance of his temple. Sephiroth threw his head upwards and laughed.

Now was the time.

The _**Reunion**_ had finally _**begun**_!

0o0o0o0o0

**Author's Notes**

**Damn this chapter really was soooo exhausting to write. And wow the result was pretty damn evil too! Lol Got to blame Sephi-kins for that. What is his megalomaniac obsession for power and World Domination? Oh well, the pretty ones usually end up being the psycho nutbars. Gotta blame his childhood, or lack of I guess. Lol. Anywho, I still enjoyed writing this chapter. Now I have a feeling I will get mixed responses from this. I have noooo idea what you guys must be thinking now. So feel free to review me so I know. Lol.**

**So Sephiroth intends to sacrifice everyone in the Sanctuary to access the powers of a true God. This means for him to ascent this status of supernatural power, Yazoo and Kadaj and every other Remnant will have to die! And since Aeris has denounced her love for this power fuelled Monster, the Black Materia has already been summoned, Meteor is on its way, what does this mean for the rest of the planet?!**

**Haha, and surprisingly Cloud is never around to save the day. Now that's a real surprise. He's the best bodyguard ever! …….LMFAO X**

**Anywho….**

**REVIEW X REVIEW X REVIEW X REVIEW X REVIEW X REVIEW X hehe x I'm really interested to know what you guys think of this chapter. I think this has to be one of my more fav chaps I have done for a while. Tell me your thoughts. Im curious if anyone has any idea where I will take the course of this fic! Lol x**

**Hehe x Insanity is the best theme to write about. Since itsssssss so addictive. It really gets you buzzing. Lol**

**But yus, don't forget to review, and I will try and get the next chapter out super-ASAPy….well as fast as I can. Lol x**

**Ja ne**

**Aer_seph4eva**


	29. Sacrifice

**To love an Ancient 2: An Aeris and Kadaj story**

**15591 Words**

**38 pages **

**Chapter 29**

**Sacrifice**

**Disclaimer**

**Nope, I don't own Final Fantasy 7...but I sometimes adopt their kawaii bishonens! (most specifically the silvered haired kind.)**

**Authors Notes**

**Wow, I got about 9 reviews in less than 24 hrs of posting up my last chapter. I guess that means you guys enjoyed it. Lol x I must admit, CH28 was certainly intense, but then, to get to the core of Sephiroth's nature, you have to brave all the fire and ice. Hmmm, it seems things are not going well for Aeris at all. Now that Sephiroth has summoned Meteor, she really has failed the Planet! Since Sephiroth is planning a divine mission of mass murder. If Aeris wants to save the residents of the Sanctuary, she will really need to act fast. Time is of the Essence!**

**As for my musical muses for this chapter. I am trying to listen to anything that is genuinely epic. Browsing through Youtube, I have found some gorgeous pieces that tickle my dark muse.**

**Clint Mansell- Requiem for a Dream**

**HIM- Join me in Death**

**Globus- Sarabande Suite (Aeternae) **

**Globus- Europa**

**Globus- Crusaders of the Light**

**Globus- Epicon, Def Con, Lucius Dei, and Diem Ex Dei**

**Sting- The book of my life, 1000 years**

**Evanescence- The last song I'm wasting on you, Angel of Mine, Listen to the Rain**

**FFVIIACC- OWA, Sign, Those who fight further, Jenova**

**Yus, I'm listening to a lot of Globus this time. Globus is a fantastic group if you want to draw out powerful emotions, especially if you like dark chorale themes.**

**Anywho enough of my ramblings…**

**And on with the fic!**

0o0o0o0

Aeris could not run fast enough. She had to get away. She had to escape from _**Him**_! Tears coursed down her face blurring her vision as she ran. Aeris knew it was all over, but all she could think about was running. Her small sandaled feet sprinted across the white grass of the entrance hall, past the wide and deadly pool of black water, and straight towards the exit of the Temple. When she burst through the large doors of the white sanctum, Aeris nearly fell down on her knees then and there. Her thoughts of anguish were threatening to consume her mind and soul. All hope had long since vanished her. All thoughts of light had been tainted by _**His**_ darkness.

'_Can someone please tell me..?'_

'_Why….?'_

'_Why am I never strong enough?'_

More tears slipped down her face, but the flowergirl forced herself to keep on running. It was the only thing she could think to do. She had to keep on moving. For Aeris knew if she stopped now, _**His**_ madness would claim her. Evil would sink its dark talons into her consciousness, and when that happened, Aeris would not be able to defy _**Him **_for a second time. Aeris knew, as powerless as she was now, she could not defeat Sephiroth alone. _**His**_ dark spirit would consume her completely. And as her feet clacked loudly across the harsh white stones outside the Temple, Aeris sobbed her despair for the entire Sanctuary to hear.

At the sight of a very familiar silver haired body laying unconscious at the top of the stone steps, Aeris felt her mind seize up in fear. _Kadaj_! The flowergirl dashed straight towards the teen's unconscious form, and crashed down onto her knees beside him. In her haste, Aeris accidentally tore the lower seam of her wet kimono. But the brunette did not care at all.

The flowergirl's single focus was….

_Survival_!

"Kadaj!" the brunette cried, as she violently shook the teen frantically, in an attempt to rouse him out of his deep slumber. Aeris knew there was no time for gentleness or kindness. If she wanted to save Kadaj and everyone else, they needed to move now! Sephiroth could appear behind them at any given moment! "Kadaj! Wake up! Oh Please wake up! OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KADAJ! WAKE UP!" The flowergirl was now shaking with genuine terror.

Suddenly, two bleary orbs, the shade of mint starlight snapped open. "M-Mother?" Kadaj murmured softly, as his mako tainted eyes peaked through his long silvery bangs, to stare at the white robed vision of his Mother knelt beside him. The teen's eyes wavered in gentle confusion. In that moment, Kadaj had never looked any more innocent that he did now. As the last vestiges of sleep passed through his mind, Kadaj began to wonder why his Mother was completely _drenched_ to the bone, and…why her eyes looked so _red_…?

"Why are you wet Mother?" Kadaj voiced softly. Confusion was written in the deep depths of his eyes.

Aeris shuddered, and turned her face to the side in an attempt to conceal her emotional despair from the boy's wide and innocent gaze. However, it was too late to hide the darkness of her sorrow. Kadaj had managed to catch sight of a wayward tear trickling down the left side of her cheek. The young teen's eyes began to tremble with worry.

"Mother, why are you crying?"

The flowergirl shook her head. The last thing she wanted to do was break down before the teen. "T-there's no time to explain Kadaj," Aeris explained as quickly and as quietly as she could. She believed if she tried to speak any louder, her voice would crack from the chaotic emotions that were assaulting her bleeding heart. The brunette bowed her head and bit her lip in grief. At that moment, Aeris mentally cursed the weakness of her very being. She wished now, more than ever, that she had been born with the gift of strength. The brunette shook her head. Aeris knew she had no time for weakness now. If she wanted to escape _**Him**_, she had to be strong, even if her strength was only temporary...or just a false dream to keep her moving forward. The brunette gritted her teeth. Despite her tears and sorrow, Aeris knew she could not give up. She refused to give up! For if she did, then Sephiroth would win, and his reign of Death would begin! And Aeris could never let that happen!

With that thought in mind, Aeris pulled the confused teen up to his feet and dragged him towards the stone stairs. "We both need to get out of here!"

"W-what? Why Mother?" Kadaj did not hide his confusion to the brunette. Nevertheless, he dutifully followed the flowergirl's mad descent down the stairs.

The flowergirl could not answer him. Aeris only had one thought on her mind now.

_Survival_.

Aeris knew she needed to take Kadaj as far away from Sephiroth as she could think to go. But the problem being… Aeris could not think of a single place on Gaia that was free of Sephiroth's wrath. As the entire Sanctuary was in danger of the Reunion, and the surface of the Planet was in danger of Meteor, nowhere was truly safe. The entire Planet had been condemned to death! And this very realisation was mentally crippling her.

Nevertheless, Aeris knew she had to keep going.

She could not stop running.

For the flowergirl realised the further she got Kadaj away from that damnable black water, the safer he would be, at least temporarily… from Sephiroth's Reunion. Aeris knew she had to save him. And that was why she needed to keep on moving! There was no time to think of anything else! Aeris could not let Sephiroth win! She would _**never**_ let him win, if it meant the sacrifice of Kadaj and everyone else on the Planet!

Kadaj all the while dashed down the white stone steps, keeping perfect pace beside his Mother. The teen had no idea why they were even running in the first place. In truth, his Mother's pace was ridiculously easy to keep up with. Kadaj knew he was not even breaking a sweat. He wasn't really running either. Instead he was moving with a hasty walk that was effortless for a warrior such a he. Nevertheless, despite the easy pace, the teen had never seen his Mother move with such a need for speed. This realisation added to the teen's confusion. Kadaj assumed his Mother had been upset by something or someone. Logically, Kadaj knew this upset must have been connected to the Sanctuary Temple since Aeris seemed so desperate to flee from it.

"Why are we running Mother? Tell me, what happened? You went inside the Temple right? Did you meet Sephiroth? What did he say to you?" Kadaj questioned, not once breaking his stride beside her.

"………"

Kadaj's questions went unanswered..

His Mother was not responding to him. Instead, she continued to madly dash down the stone steps, as if running down them was her only mission in life.

The teen's brow furrowed weakly. He really did not understand the source of his Mother's distress. Kadaj never liked seeing his Mother so upset, especially when he had no idea who, or what had even caused it. "What's wrong Mother? Did Sephiroth say something to upset you…?"

'…_You have no idea Kadaj…absolutely no idea…' _Aeris mentally cried to herself. The brunette urged her feet to fly even faster. Now she was taking two steps at a time. Aeris knew that if she were to slip right now, she would break her neck and then it would definitely be game over. But the brunette knew there was no time to think of safety. Safety merited slowness, and if she wanted to save Kadaj from Sephiroth, she had to keep on running. At this very moment, Aeris could think of nothing else but protecting the boy who naively called her Mother. It was the only thought driving her forward. Aeris was glad for such a drive, for if it wasn't for Kadaj being in danger, Aeris would have fallen down to her knees in despair, and never have found the strength to rise again.

Aeris knew she would never forgive herself if she did not protect Kadaj from _**His**_ madness. She had to save him!

"Mother? Why don't you answer me? Have I said something to upset you? Have I done something wrong? Please tell me Mother, what is on your mind?"

"There is no time to talk now!" Aeris cried over her shoulder, without stopping. "Just keep running Kadaj and I will explain everything later!"

"Ok Mother," Kadaj answered obediently beside her. As long as his Mother was not upset with him, that's all that really mattered.

When Aeris saw the bottom of the stairs, her eyes sparkled with relief.

Just a few more steps…

She was almost there…

And that was when it _**happened**_.

_White purity was forsaken for bitter darkness…_

The world of the Sanctuary began to _change_. Aeris noticed the moment the white stone beneath her feet dissolved away, to shift into shaded hues of complete darkness. All forms of white purity began to rot away to reveal despairing tones of merciless black. Death was the only colour writing itself across the former white lands, and painting a dreadful hue across the once pale sky. The darkness was contaminating everything it touched. But despite the dark changes occurring around her, Aeris did not stop running.

She leapt off the bottom step of the stairway, before madly sprinting down the long road towards the main town centre. It did not matter how her lungs were crying out for more air. Or how her legs were burning with pain. The flowergirl could not stop. She refused to stop, _especially_ now. And as the white pavement below her feet began to melt into muted shades of a black nightmare, the brunette realised that the loss of white light were visual signs of _**His**_ darkness taking over. Sephiroth's dark dreams of mass murder were contaminating his once pure dreams of a white Sanctuary. The brunette could sense the work of evil shifting all around her. At this very moment, Aeris could feel Sephiroth's darkness amassing from the Temple, branching out and tainting the landscape of the Sanctuary with cruel, black intentions. The flowergirl was too scared to turn back to _**Him**_ now. Forward was the only direction she could think to go. Aeris knew in order to protect Kadaj, she needed to keep going forward! Turning back would only hinder her.

Sephiroth's orgy of death was about to begin. They needed to get away!

0o0

Lost in her frantic musings of escape, Aeris never noticed the moment Kadaj _**stopped**_ running beside her ….

She did not once think to turn around to check…

For Aeris assumed Kadaj would always follow her…

….the flowergirl assumed _**wrong**_.

0o0

The moment his world changed, Kadaj _stopped_ running. He paused to gaze around in wonder at the growing darkness, which was shifting itself across the land and sky of his Sanctuary.

"What's going on?" Kadaj murmured quietly, as he innocently gazed upwards. Angry black clouds were materialising across the once pale white sky. Danger now seemed imminent in the heavens above, and the teen could only wonder why. A storm born of an unnatural power was brewing above his head. A dark rumble of thunder shuddered the blackening heavens. This was followed with an angry crack of lightning, which empowered the skies with a cruel and unnatural light. And then…the rain began to fall. When the first few drops splashed onto the teen's face, Kadaj raised a hand to rub the slight wetness off his skin. But when he pulled his hand back, to stare down at the wet droplet staining his finger, the teen blinked in bemusement. Kadaj always assumed rain to be a clear substance…but the water that was smeared across his fingers…was tainted with an unknown darkness.

'_How can it be…?'_

'_The rainfall…is black…?'_

'_This, this is…really fascinating..'_

Kadaj raised his head to the heavens once more. In all his life, Kadaj had never seen the world of the Sanctuary appear so cruel and dark. He had only known the Sanctuary for its pale purity. The white clouds in the sky had always matched the equally white shores of the land. But now…. black was the only colour he could see in everything.

Kadaj was barely aware that his Mother was no longer near him. The teen was barely aware of anything but the unknown power that had eclipsed his entire world into cold shadows of darkness. Running was now the _last_ thing on his mind. All Kadaj wanted to do now was stare in wonder at the new world that had been revealed to him.

And as the dark rain began to fall even heavier over Kadaj, the Sanctuary began to lose more of its purity. The teen looked downwards and watched as each dark droplet blackened the once white stone beneath his feet. His eyes widened with awe. Kadaj knew he was experiencing one of _**His **_dark miracles. When another clap of thunder filled the air, Kadaj raised his head towards the blackening heavens. The teen shuddered with growing excitement.

Kadaj wanted to find the source of this foreign darkness. He wanted to know where it was coming form. And so he turned his head to look behind him.

And then he finally saw _**it**_..

'…_The…Temple-'_

Mako tainted eyes dilated slowly.

'…_Why- why-'_

Suddenly Kadaj felt something in his mind….._awaken_.

'_is the….Temple…'_

"_**Black..**__?" _The teen voiced softly, as he gazed at the resonating obelisk of darkness positioned at the top of the now black stone stairway. There was something….so _alluring_ about it, something so _desirable_. Kadaj knew he had to get closer. He _needed_ to get closer. Kadaj could feel the Temple calling out to him. And Kadaj knew in that moment, that it was his duty, to answer the call.

He lifted one foot on the blackened step above him, ready to embark on his journey towards the towering darkness.

When Aeris realised the teen was no longer running beside her, the brunette whipped her head around in surprise. Suddenly, her face whitened in horror. Kadaj was nowhere near her at all. He was still at the bottom of the stone steps, gazing at the walls of the now black sanctum.

"Kadaj! NO! Get away from the Temple! Don't stop running Kadaj! Don't think to stop. Just keep on running!" Aeris cried out in alarm.

But the teen did not listen to her. He could not listen. Something was slowly changing inside of him. Kadaj did not know what it was. For reasons he could not understand, Kadaj knew something was making him lose control of his mental faculties….and yet…this experience…of relinquishing control…it just seemed so _natural_ to him…it just seemed so _right_.

And then… the _**voices**_ came.

Their mental tongues invaded the realms of the pale teen's inner conscious. They spoke to him in mantras and songs, reciting a word Kadaj could never seem to forget. It was a word he could only think about. It had been etched into his unconscious memory for all time.

"_**Reunion**_," Kadaj murmured softly, as his eyes hazed over with a gentle acceptance. The teen's lashes drooped over his luminous orbs, and his silvery bangs shadowed his pale features from view. In that moment, Kadaj finally understood. He finally understood the source of the darkness, and why it was calling out to him. Now was the _time_. It was now time for _**His**_ Reunion. The Temple's barriers had fallen, and the great doors were now open for all to attend. Kadaj knew he could not deny the instinctive call in his mind. Destiny was guiding him down his fated path and Kadaj knew he had to walk it. Now was the time to leave. Sephiroth was expecting him…And Kadaj could not defy _**His**_ will.

"_**Reunion**_…"

And without realising what he was doing, or even why he was doing it, Kadaj began to slowly ascend back up the stairs….much to the horror of the brunette watching him from below.

"No! Kadaj! Don't!" The flowergirl screamed out in horror, as she desperately ran back towards the Temple. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she scrambled up each dark step as quickly as she could, using both her hands and feet to reach the young teen in time. She nearly slipped twice due to the black rainfall wetting the steps, but Aeris could not let Kadaj get to the top. She would never let him become a sacrifice! He would not die!

When Aeris finally got close enough to reach out for Kadaj, the brunette made a mad grab for the teen's foot from behind, grasping it firmly in both of her hands, and preventing him from moving to the next step.

The moment the Remnant realised he could not move, all motion stopped.

Very slowly, Kadaj turned his head, to look over his shoulder and down at the female who was restraining him. His mako tainted eyes bore down on her with a vacancy the flowergirl had never seen before. Aeris could see no recognition nor alert awareness in the teen's mako depths. This realisation alone only added more trauma to the brunette's growing nightmare.

"You can't go to him Kadaj. Oh please, you mustn't! It's a trap!" Aeris panted with both fear and exertion, as she kept a strong and desperate grip on the teen's foot. Her own tears were mixing with the dark rain that continued to fall from the sky. Its colour of mute darkness stained her features with raw sorrow. Aeris knew she could not let Kadaj go any further. She would _**never**_ let him ascend any higher! "Sephiroth intends to use you as a sacrifice. Don't be drawn into _**His**_ madness!" The brunette cried out, as another clap of thunder angrily shook the heavens. Aeris stared into the teen's lifeless eyes from her knelt position on the stairs.

The flowergirl knew she was quaking with fear.

She could not let Kadaj die.

Not like this.

_**Never**_ like this…

And as the black rain continued to fall from above, the teen's mako tainted orbs wavered slightly. He looked down at the tearful brunette silently, before turning his gaze back towards the darkening Temple.

The _**voices**_ were _still_ calling out to him.

And they wanted him to get closer…

He needed to get closer…to _**Him**_…

The teen tried to lightly shrug his foot out of the flowergirl's grasp. But the brunette refused to let him go. He tugged a little harder, but the girl did not relent. The warrior furrowed his brow. He knew he needed to be free to ascend towards his dark lit destiny. Instinct guided the young warrior's next actions. Without thinking what he was doing, the teen calmly bent downwards and effortlessly pried Aeris' fingers off his person, before ascending up the stairs once more, much more quickly than he had moved before.

Kadaj knew nothing could stop him from reaching the inevitable.

The rain was now falling down in rivulets. The teen's silver bangs had become stuck to his face, concealing most of his facial features from view.

He was walking half-blind now…

But Kadaj did not stop his ascent.

And as he went up each step…

His heartbeat quickened with growing excitement.

He was almost there….

The Temple was right before him. Kadaj knew he was so close now. He was so close to the source of _**His**_ darkness…it was attracting him like a moth to a burning flame.

Kadaj had to get closer.

He had to be Reunited with _**Him**_…

The teen was near the top now. He only had a few more steps to go..

Almost…there…

Suddenly, Kadaj felt himself being yanked from behind, and the teen froze in place. The teen blinked with bland confusion. The warrior turned his gaze towards the restrained limb that was his right arm.

"KADAJ! NO!" Aeris panted painfully, as the rain continued to trickle down her crying features. She tightened her fingers over the teen's bicep. Her nails were threatening to bite through the dark, wet leather of his coat. "You cannot go any further! If you go in there you will die!" Aeris knew she had to make the teen see reason. She was just so frightened for him. Aeris could not lose him to the madness. But Kadaj was not listening to her.

Aeris could not understand why nothing was getting through to him.

Kadaj had fallen into some kind of dark dream, and Aeris had no hope of awakening him. Sephiroth's Temple had done something to his conscious. The brunette could see this...but the flowergirl had no idea how to stop it. When Kadaj attempted to pull his arm away from her, Aeris tightened her grip around it.

She refused to let him go.

"Kadaj please, I beg of you. Please listen to me!" Aeris pleaded in raw desperation against the howling storm. She tried to pull the teen down to a lower step, to no avail. "Death awaits you if you go inside that Temple. Don't you see? You will die if you go inside!" She cried over the thundery winds.

"But I hear the _**voices**_…" Kadaj droned softly. His words were almost lost over the sound of lightning smashing and crashing above him. Aeris barely heard him. All the while, the teen's eyes were focussed only on the dark obelisk towering before them. "The _**voices**_ are telling me where I need to go…"

The teen's words caused the brunette to panic even more. Dashing in front of the teen, Aeris tried to hold Kadaj back when he began to ascend once more. "No! You must not listen to them Kadaj!" Aeris grabbed the teen's face and tried to make the young teen look away from the dark obelisk. In order to save him, Aeris knew she had to bring Kadaj back to the light.

"Look at me Kadaj, focus only on me!" Aeris was getting desperate now. Her heart was racing with fear. She could not lose him to the madness. In an action born from desperation alone, the brunette brought her face forward and pressed her mouth against Kadaj's wet lips. She withdrew her head back quickly, and looked at the young teen, hoping beyond hope that she had the power to save him.

Another boom of madness crashed across the heavens.

But Aeris ignored it. She did not care for the dark insanity slowly consuming the world all around her.

All she could only focus on now, was the teen standing before her.

Her trembling lips cracked into a watery smile of relief when she realised Kadaj was no longer looking at her with the same, bored, vacant emptiness of a lifeless puppet. Instead the teen was gaping at her with emotions born of childlike purity. And as the heavens continued to rage above them, Kadaj did not stop gaping. Aeris was ready to sob with relief. Finally! The light had _triumphed_ over the darkness! Kadaj's attachment to the Temple of darkness had been temporarily broken. She had managed to save Kadaj from Sephiroth's nightmare.

"M-Mother? W-why?" The teen's voice wavered gently, as a faint blush blossomed across his shy and pale features. Aeris was too afraid for the boy's safety to think about her own embarrassment from their unexpected kiss. Grasping the teen's wet shoulders, Aeris leant her face towards the pale warrior, causing the teen to blush even further. His heart was beating an excited staccato of raw emotion. Kadaj raised a trembling hand towards the brunette's wet face, to catch another stray tear that slipped from his Mother's eyes.

"Kadaj you once promised me that you would do anything I say? " Aeris began, as her voice trembled with the weight of her next words. The rain above them began to build up into a dark crescendo, falling so much harder, and drenching them both to the bone.

"Yes Mother," The teen nodded weakly. He would never deny this woman anything. Kadaj knew his life was his Mother's to control. He would die for her if she so asked it of him.

The brunette's hands tightened around the teen's leather clad shoulders, and her wide eyes turned wide with pleading anxiety. "Well I need you to complete that promise for me. Kadaj, I want you to promise me that you will only listen to what I say. Any other voice you may hear that is _**not**_ mine, I want you to ignore them. I want you to focus only on me. Focus only on Mother. Will you do this for me Kadaj?"

Kadaj felt his entire body tremble in the dark rain. His lips moved before the _**voices**_ in his head could dare attempt to make him defy the demi-Cetra before him. "You are the only voice I hear in my heart Mother, and that is a promise I will keep forever." Soon after he said the words, Kadaj felt a crippling force try to bring him to his knees. Aeris clutched the teen, to prevent him from tumbling down the black stone steps. The teen gritted his teeth and grabbed his head with both hands. He did not comprehend the source of his agony. For reasons he could not understand, his mind was on fire. His entire body was burning. He was in so much pain and he did not know why…The darkness seemed to be pulsing around him. It seemed so angry with him.

"Kadaj, are you alright?!" Aeris gasped, as she knelt with him on the stairs.

The teen could not find the strength to answer her.

More tears pricked the brunette's eyes at the sight of the teen's internal agony. The demi-Cetra did not know what was happening to him. All Aeris knew was that Kadaj was hurting and it was all connected to Sephiroth's cruelty. The brunette's eyes hardened with a rare, cold rage. She was not going to let Sephiroth harm Kadaj. Kadaj would never be sacrificed to _**His**_ evil heart!

Aeris nearly jumped out of her skin when a flash of lightning hit the ground only a few metres away from where they were both kneeling. There was so much danger around them! They had to escape now!

"Kadaj, Mother wants you to get as far away from Sephiroth's Temple as you can. Can you do this for me?"

The young warrior feebly nodded.

Taking his left hand in her right, Aeris tried to gently coax the teen away from the dark obelisk behind them. "Whatever you do, never let go of my hand Kadaj, not for one moment. And remember, listen only to my voice. The voice of Mother."

Another flash of lightning clipped the base of the Temple, causing the brunette to violently shake with growing terror. "Come on Kadaj, I know you can do this! Just listen to Mother. Listen only to me…"

Mako eyes cringed with pain, but he nodded feebly. "Y-yes _Mother_," The teen sighed weakly as Aeris gently coaxed him down the stairs, one careful step at a time.

Despite the physical torture that was consuming him, and the torrential rain that continued to fall, Kadaj's eyes never left the woman at his side. But, no matter how he tried to ignore them, the _**voices**_ in his head could not be silenced. Even now, the teen could hear their cries of his betrayal. The _**voices**_ expected him to attend. He must attend….the Reunion.

The teen had to pause for a moment, as his body nearly seized up completely. He could barely walk now. It felt like his limbs were betraying him. His body did not seem to be cooperating to his own will, but to the will of another.

Kadaj hissed with pain and forced himself to concentrate only on the female beside him. As he did, Kadaj could feel his eyes begin to visibly bleed with pain. Kadaj desperately tried to focus only on _**Her**_…the green eyed angel who was holding his hand; the angel who was guiding him away from the darkness, and towards her growing light. In that moment, Kadaj knew if he had to decide between _**Him**_ or _**Her**_…it would always be _**Her**_..

Aeris knew they were moving far too slow, but Kadaj was really struggling to walk now. Whatever the Temple or Sephiroth had done to bewitch Kadaj, it was really affecting his speed and movement. The teen's weak condition and the raging storm above only added more horror to the brunette's living nightmare. The flowergirl feared the very thought of Sephiroth catching up with them. They really needed to pick up the pace! They were quite literally on Sephiroth's doorstep!

"Please Kadaj! I know you are hurting, but do you think you can move a little faster for me?"

The teen grimaced with a frustration born only of raw pain. Kadaj could not understand why his body refused to respond to his own thoughts. The teen wanted to do exactly what his Mother had asked of him. And yet, to think such thoughts seemed to freeze up his neural system. It seemed the _**voices**_ in his head were affecting all his mental processes. He was struggling so much. It was so difficult to walk now. Each step was true murder to take. Kadaj knew running was now an impossibility.

Kadaj paused again on another step.

He had to stop!

The pain was just too much to bear!

His brain was trying to split itself in two. Kadaj had been forced to move in two directions at the same time. Mother wanted him _down_ the stairs but the Reunion wanted him to go _up_. Kadaj knew he could not listen and obey both _**His**_ and _**Her**_ voice at the same time. It was agony. To listen to one was to deny another. But his beating heart could not deny Mother's desires, and that was why _**He…**__Sephiroth_ was inducing so much agony to his neural system.

But despite the pain, Kadaj rigidly forced himself down another step.

Kadaj knew he could not stop…

He would never stop…

Kadaj knew he would sacrifice anything and everything…just to be with her.

And so Kadaj gritted his teeth.

And forced himself to keep on going, despite the pain assaulting him.

And the storm continued on.

Sweat was dripping from his face now. His body could not stop shaking. His subconscious was wracking him with images of insanity. The _**voices **_still desired him to return to the Temple. They were angered by his defiance, and so they attacked his mind by mentally crippling his ability to think.

But Kadaj would not stop.

He would continue to move through the darkness of the storm.

When Kadaj saw new tears of desperation bloom in his Mother's eyes, the sight of them pushed the teen beyond his physical limits. He ignored the savage intensity of betrayal that was scratching and screaming both at the forefront and back of his mind. The _**voices**_ were savagely attacking his mental psyche now. It took so much effort to think…to even move. But Kadaj knew as long as he held onto his Mother's hand, and kept his eyes only on her…..then he would find the strength to look past all the pain. Kadaj knew he could never deny his Mother anything…and he knew she could never let him go astray.

His Mother meant so much more to him than the cruel voices born from the darkness..

Kadaj's love for his Mother pushed him on.

0o0

Aeris knew they were almost at the bottom now…

They were almost there…

0o0

Aeris hated seeing the teen's youthful expression tainted with so much pain. She tried to encourage him softly, congratulating him after each brave and wobbly step he took. She kept a steady grip on the teen's trembling fingers, guiding him downwards and further away from _**His**_ darkness. When they finally reached the very bottom, Aeris nearly cried out with relief!

Unfortunately, the flowergirl's relief was short-lived the moment she turned around. When Aeris looked at the long dark road that was paved out before her, she was not ready for the sight she saw. The brunette gaped in visible horror at the incomprehensible mass of silver haired beings who were already marching down the dark road, straight towards her and Sephiroth's Temple! The brunette's jaw dropped, and a new consuming terror began to resurface in her mind. Sephiroth's followers….his Remnants…they had come for _**His**_ Reunion… And there were hundreds…maybe even thousands. Men and women. Adults and even children.

Aeris raised a trembling hand to her mouth.

'This…can't be..'

Aeris felt her entire body quake at the reality of the nightmare that was happening right before her very eyes. Protecting Kadaj from _**Him**_ had taken nearly every ounce of strength from he being, and as Aeris stared wide eyed at the silver haired masses who were progressing towards the Temple stairway, her fear began to anxiously grow. Aeris knew she barely had the power to stop _one_ of them, so how was she going to stop _**all**_ of them?

But still, the flowergirl had to try. She knew she could not just stand there and do nothing!

"NO!" Aeris screamed. Keeping her right hand in the teen's left, Aeris waved her other arm back and forth against the advancing throng of silver haired followers. "GO BACK! TURN AROUND! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

The demi-Cetra could not let the followers of Sephiroth die!

But Aeris' words fell on deaf ears. The Remnants of Sephiroth looked through her to gaze only at the resonance that was _**His**_ darkness. When the crowds finally reached her, Aeris watched in horror as they walked right past her, as if she was less than a shadow to them. Aeris knew she was living in a nightmare. She had to be in hell. Nobody could sense the danger that was present before them, and no one was listening to her warning cries. Using her free hand, Aeris grabbed the nearest silver haired female who had momentarily paused to look up in awe at the dark Temple.

"No! Don't! Don't go up there!" Aeris cried to her, pulling on the woman's white robes. "You will die! Madness awaits you if you go to him! You must not allow yourself to die! You cannot die for him!"

Again, Aeris' words fell on deaf ears. The pale haired woman carelessly brushed the flowergirl's arm away, before calmly ascending the stairs, along with her many Brothers and Sisters.

"No!" The brunette cried out helplessly, as she tried to reach out for another female follower, but they evaded her grasp. When Aeris managed to make a grab at a male Remnant, she was not strong enough to hold onto him. The Remnant broke out of her feeble grip with no effort on his part, before continuing upwards to the path of his Reunion. Aeris was ready to pull her hair out in frustration. This so could not be happening!

"NO!" Aeris screeched out in true despair, as her eyes dilated with rising fear. At least fifty leather clad men, and twenty ivory robed women had reached a third of the way up the stairway. Many more were following them in tow.

Aeris shuddered and raised a quivering hand to her mouth. …the brunette had never felt any more helpless in her life…

The sight of their dark ascension was a horrifying sight to witness.

Aeris realised in this terrifying moment, she could not stop them…she could not stop any of the followers from reaching _**His**_ Temple of Death. It seemed the Remnant's bond to _**Him,**_ was greater than their bond to life. And so the flowergirl watched in mute horror, unable to move, unable to _believe_ the level of madness that was now happening! The flowergirl shuddered and closed her eyes in an attempt to blind herself from the growing nightmare. Aeris had never felt so helpless and weak. And in this moment, Aeris despised herself, now more than ever.

0o0

Now they had stopped moving, Kadaj had the time to watch his Brothers and Sisters ascend up the black stairway. Even though the teen had listened to his Mother and kept a firm grasp on her hand, his desire to enter the dark Temple had not once lessened. And as he stood and watched his kin transcend to their intended fate…Kadaj emotionally pined to join them.

"Reunion…" Kadaj murmured softly.

His body tentatively tried to take a single step towards the stairs…

But then he was violently yanked backwards with a painful yelp.

"Don't even think about it Kadaj!" The flowergirl glared at him angrily. The teen shuddered pitifully at the brunette's thunderous words. " Mother will NOT allow you to go to the Reunion!" Aeris stated harshly, shaking his arm for emphasis. "You will NEVER be allowed to go up those stairs again, do you understand?"

The teen's mako tainted eyes stared back at his Mother's raging orbs. Kadaj could not understand why his Mother refused to let him go. He wanted to ascend the stairs so much, but he could not defy the will of his Mother. Her needs came first and foremost before his own. The teen's eyes closed, and tears of desolation slipped down his face. All he wanted to do was to go to the Temple with his Brothers and Sisters… why could his Mother not understand his need to be _**complete**_?

Aeris realised in that moment that staying still was causing more mental harm to the teen at her side. The brunette knew she could not allow Kadaj to be drawn into the bloody insanity of the Reunion..

But…

The demi-Cetra could not find the strength to run…

Aeris could not run away when so many people were walking straight to their impending death. The brunette's gaze wavered in fear.

In that moment, Aeris knew she did not possess the power to save them all.

But…

Her gaze turned to Kadaj…

'_Damn you Sephiroth for making me do this… Damn you…'_

The flowergirl had no choice.

'I can sacrifice them all_…_or..'

save just _**one**__.'_

And with that thought in mind, the flower maiden knew what she had to do.

Aeris fought back a sob as she shoved Kadaj and herself past the wide throng of silver haired masses who were heading towards the dark Temple. She pushed against the ongoing crowd of silver, all the while keeping a firm grip on the teen's hand. It felt like she was moving through a sea of impending death. Tears slipped from her eyes as she pulled Kadaj against the currents of the silvery masses.

Aeris knew she had to get Kadaj away from the Temple. She knew she could save him if they kept on moving. The further the flowergirl moved down the road, eventually, the crowds began to slowly reduce in volume. When the flowergirl found the opportunity to escape the masses moving against her, Aeris pulled Kadaj and herself out of the silver haired currents. The flowergirl paused for a moment to catch her breath on the side of the dark and rainy road. Each time the brunette felt Kadaj being tempted by Sephiroth's darkness, she angrily yanked his arm to draw his attention back to her.

Aeris knew there was no time to rest.

She had to keep on moving.

Tears of failure blurred her vision as she ran past rows of silver haired males and females who were gloomily walking to their own doom.

'_I can't believe it…they are all going to die…!'_

'_But I can still save one…'_

The demi-Cetra tightened her hand on the teen's fingers and tried to focus on the living and breathing teen beside her. Aeris knew she could not let Sephiroth get Kadaj. She would protect the teen with every ounce of strength she had. Evil would not take him away from her.

And with that thought in mind, Aeris began to speed up.

She passed the dark streets that had been tainted by the impurity of the rain. At the sight of the huts in the distance, Aeris realised that the black shadow of Sephiroth's nightmare had not fully extended to every hut on the outskirts of the Sanctuary. The brunette's eyes widened with disbelief. Some of the huts had still retained their white purity.

This truth gave Aeris hope that not everyone was lost to Sephiroth's dark dream.

And with that thought in mind,

Aeris knew exactly where she needed to go.

_Kadaj's home. _

As she thought about the small hut on the other side of the town, the face of a certain silver haired gunman with a acerbic tongue came back to haunt her, followed quickly by the beaming face of a gentle giant cracking a long black whip in the air. The brunette felt her eyes tear up at the thought of both of them. Aeris could only pray that Yazoo and Loz had not been drawn into the madness of the Reunion. She hoped she had a chance to save them!

'_Hope has never existed on this Planet, only despair.'_

Sephiroth's dark words continued to haunt her and Aeris heart and mind shuddered with pain.

When they finally reached a familiar fork in the road, Aeris struggled to remember the direction of which way to go. Kadaj did not seem mentally balanced to help her decide either. His eyes could only focus on the Temple behind him. Aeris yanked the teen's arm again to get his attention back on her. Aeris swore Kadaj's home was in the direction of the southern area of the borough district. She hoped she was indeed right, for that was the path she took. Aeris continued straight ahead, and hoped she was running in the right direction.

Hope blossomed in her heart when Aeris passed more pale huts which still retained a semblance of white purity. The further she got away from the temple, the more white visions she could see. To Aeris, it seemed Sephiroth's hand of despair could not stretch out that far…not yet at least.

The flowergirl knew she could not stop running.

When she passed one hut, Aeris watched an elderly male poke his head out the door, to then pause, and look up at the darkening Temple erected ominously in the distance. Aeris had to turn her eyes away from the old man in grief. When she heard the old man's slow shuffling footsteps proceeding towards the dark light throbbing in the distance, Aeris felt her own heart bleed again with more helpless sorrow. Aeris knew she was powerless to help any of them. Sephiroth's dark will completely eclipsed the will of her weak spirit.

"Home."

Aeris turned her head to look at Kadaj, who was weakly pointing at a pale hut they were just about to run past. Realising exactly what the young teen had said, Aeris dashed towards the hut, and flapped the door open, rushing inside, with Kadaj following her on from behind.

The moment she looked inside the pale hut, the brunette's tearstained eyes darted first to the left and then to the right. Kadaj's home looked to be the same as she remembered before. Although there were a few pale shadows forming on the white walls, nothing seemed to be tainted by the cruel darkness of the Temple. Seeing nothing of importance in the hallway, Aeris quickly moved towards the back of the house, searching every room for a semblance of hope.

'_Please….please be here…'_

Aeris started screaming out Yazoo name.

But no one appeared. The hut was silent of sound.

Aeris started hyperventilating as she moved towards the back of the hut, holding Kadaj's hand all the while. The flowergirl could only fear the worst.

'_Have they already left? Did I go past them on the street without even realising it? Am I too late and they have already reached Sephiroth's Temple?'_

The tears did not stop falling, and when Aeris finally looked into the final bedroom.

She froze.

And genuine tears of relief spilled down her face.

A bare-chested Loz was snoring peacefully on a pale white futon. Aeris did not even care that the male was protectively holding her nine tails whip against his chest as he slept. She turned her head towards the other side of the room, and her eyes jumped when she realised that Yazoo was watching her attentively. Pale and bare-chested, Yazoo glared at the wet brunette from his cross legged position on the floor. Knowing that they were both safe and not lost to Sephiroth's nightmare made the brunette cry out with genuine relief. "Oh Yazoo you are ok!" Aeris sobbed loudly to the alert gunman, waking Loz up in surprise.

"Eh?" Loz blinked sleepily and rubbed his eyes. "Eh? What's going on? Why's Mother and Kadaj soaked?"

The flowergirl ignored the burly male. Pulling Kadaj along with her, Aeris rushed over to the taciturn gunman who had stood up and was now glaring at her in mild confusion. At this very moment, Aeris did not care if Yazoo glared at her for the rest of his life. As long as he was safe and not dead, that's all that mattered. "Yazoo, please I need your help. Something terrible is happening!"

The gunman blinked, and then Kadaj was suddenly thrust in front of him. Aeris refused to let go of the young teen's hand, and Yazoo noticed this silently.

"Little Brother," Yazoo addressed him calmly, noticing the unusually dazed expression in the young warrior's mako tainted eyes. "What is wrong Kadaj?"

"Listen.." Kadaj whispered to the air. "Listen…"

Yazoo blinked slowly. "Listen to what?"

"Do you not hear the _**voices**_?" The wet teen murmured out softly.

"What voices?" The gunman drawled out calmly.

"The _**voices**_ that are calling out to all of us. We have to go…we _must_ go to _**Him**_," Kadaj said quietly, as he pointed a finger towards the direction of the North. Yazoo turned his head to follow the gaze of the teen's arm. He did not comprehend why the boy was blindly pointing at a boring white wall. The gunman shook his head at his younger sibling. Kadaj was acting much stranger than usual. "The Reunion has begun Brother," Kadaj continued softly. "We must go now. He needs us all now."

And then the young teen continued to babble other nameless nonsense that the gunman could not be bothered to decipher.

Slowly, the gunman's passive eyes moved from the jabbering teen to glare wholeheartedly at the brunette before him. Yazoo wanted answers. And he wanted them now. "What did you do to him?"

With those words, Aeris burst into another bout of tears. "I did nothing! Yazoo you got to help me! Sephiroth intends to sacrifice you all for the Reunion! That way he can turn himself into a God. We need to get out of the Sanctuary!"

Hearing her words, Yazoo felt his limbs seize up in fear, but his facial features remained the same. No one noticed his emotional blunder and for that he was relieved. The gunman numbly looked back at Kadaj, as if searching for the truth in the insane actions of his babbling younger Brother. The flowergirl's words certainly could not be right.

'…_could they?'_

Aeris, fearing that Yazoo thought her to be a liar, grabbed his bare arm in an attempt to make him see reason. The gunman visibly flinched at the physical contact, but he did not push her away. "Please! I'm not lying to you Yazoo! I'm telling you the truth. Everyone is in danger! We must go now!"

As the gunman looked into the brunette's eyes tearful and pleading eyes, Yazoo could not deny the fear that was written in them. The gunman knew true fear was not something that could be feigned. "How did you come to know of this? Who told you? Explain," Yazoo said quietly, while his mind began to whirl with different thoughts and scenarios of what was currently happening. While the gunman's face might have appeared calm on the surface, his brain was psychotically raging for answers.

And when the brunette's eyes began to tear up to shake her head, denying him the truth of what he wanted, Yazoo felt his heart began to palpitate a little faster in his chest. Externally he appeared unaffected, but internally….

'_Is this…..is this what real __**fear **__feels like? '_

The gunman purposefully bit the inside of his mouth, forcing himself to focus on the slight tang of pain, rather than any illusionary pains brought on by his mental fears. Yazoo knew whatever dark secret the flowergirl held within her wavering eyes…it was a secret he needed to know. His survival depended on it.

"Aeris," Yazoo said, using her name for the very first time since he had known her. "Tell me what you know."

The flowergirl shakily shook her head. "It doesn't matter Yazoo. There really is no time to explain everything. We just need to pack up and go! We need to get OUT of the Sanctuary! NOW!"

Both Yazoo and Loz stared at her as if she had a cactuar sprouting from her head.

"Guys! Why aren't you moving? Sephiroth is coming here to KILL you!"

With those words, Loz immediately leapt up from his futon, and the gunman steeled his expression at her, before nodding slightly in understanding. Yazoo realised at this moment, the truth could come later. Still, the gunman was logically unsatisfied. But now was the time to move…

"Loz, grab all the food you can get from the cupboards and put it inside of Kadaj's bag. Yes Loz, it's the bag I'm currently pointing at. I also want you to look in every drawer for blankets, materia and anything you think is suitable for artic conditions," Yazoo commanded calmly, as he swiftly moved to his own bedside to retrieve his Velvet Nightmare.

The short haired male bobbed his head at the gunman and got to work.

Yazoo unfolded his leather coat and shrugged it over his shoulders, not even bothering to zip it up. He did not have time for such things. The gunman mentally sighed. He knew his hair would have to remain un-brushed too. After all, aesthetic perfection had to be sacrificed for immediate haste.

'…_That woman better not be lying to us…if this is all a farce.' _The gunman thought darkly as he pulled out a box of bullets from his utility drawer. _'… I will kill her myself!'_

Aeris all the while held Kadaj's hand and watched the pale haired duo prepare for their journey beyond the Sanctuary. As she watched, the brunette began to feel her mind darken with despair.

'…_Why am I persuading them to leave the Sanctuary anyway…? Meteor will come in 7 days and then…'_

'…_Just shut up Aeris….there is still time to change things. I just need to get out of here so I can properly think. There must be a way to save everyone. There has to be…'_

Aeris moved out the pale gunman's way when he quickly left the room to find his boots. Finding them, he quickly pulled them on, and returned back to his bedroom.

As she watched them, the flowergirl thought about the dangerous journey which was laid out before them all. Aeris remembered the horrors of the artic terrains to reach the Northern Crater. She remembered the chilling coldness. The flowergirl looked down at her current clothes and bit her lip with worry. Aeris was aware that the pale kimono she was wearing now was drenched and torn….she also knew her old and tattered pink travelling clothes were likely to be still damp from the last time she wore them through the lifestream.

The brunette mentally sighed. Aeris really did not know what to do……Wet clothes were less than suitable for cold conditions. The brunette knew she would very likely freeze to death!

And then Aeris remembered the dark and very tasteless items of leather that had materialised in the mystic wardrobe a few hours before…

'…_I wonder…if they are still there?'_

The brunette bit her lip in resignation. Aeris no longer cared about looking like a dominatrix whore. She needed clothes to brave the snows of the Great Glacier. Aeris remembered how stupidly cold it was in the tiny dark cave she shared with Yazoo. If it wasn't for Yazoo and Kadaj, she would have died inside the mountains of the Gaea's Cliff. Aeris realised then, that if she wanted to brave the cruel winters on the Planet, she needed something thick and durable to brave the cold winds. Damp clothes would not be suitable for her cold journey to fight against the dark. The brunette mentally sagged her shoulders with more despair.

'I guess the horrible black leather will have to suffice.'

And with that thought in mind, Aeris pushed Kadaj over to the gunman who was refilling his gun with countless bullets for their violent journey ahead of them. "Yazoo?" The gunman raised his head to look at her coolly. "Please, make sure you do not allow Kadaj to leave this hut. I'm just going to the other bedroom to change out of these wet clothes, and then I will be right back," Aeris explained, before rushing towards the room where the mystical sliding door was kept.

The gunman stared after her blankly, before looking down at his younger sibling. Yazoo realised the moment the flowergirl had left the room, his younger brother had already started towards the main entrance.

"No so fast little Brother," Yazoo stated calmly, as he grabbed the young teen by the back of his collar. The teen struggled weakly, but made no extreme effort to escape the strong gunman's grasp. Nevertheless, he shyly pawed out at the air, and mumbled half-angry cries to be whole again. The gunman frowned deeply at the young teen. Kadaj was certainly not acting like his usual self. Yazoo realised that something had completely bewitched the young warrior. But whatever madness had taken over his younger brother, Yazoo knew he had not been affected. The gunman sighed deeply to himself, and turned his gaze to eye his eldest brother. Loz seemed dressed and ready to go. The gunman watched silently as Loz attached his favourite weapon to his left arm. Yazoo mentally curled up his nose. The dual hound was a weapon that Yazoo had never been fond of, most specifically because the gun was more suited for stunning and breaking things. Although the dual hound had power, it possessed no grace.

'…_No wonder Loz adores it..'_

The gunman mentally shook his head at himself.

He had to refocus back to the problem at hand.

Yazoo still needed answers. But the brunette said there was no time to explain. The gunman sighed. It seemed so ridiculous. He was blindly following the words of a woman he barely knew. A _**very, very**_ _**weak**_ woman at that. Yazoo was still very suspicious of the female's motives. Deep down he knew the flowergirl could have been deceiving them all. But that very thought seemed illogical to his tactician mind. If Aeris was betraying them, why was she telling them to escape the Sanctuary? To tell them to escape would mean she was betraying Sephiroth. Why would this woman even want to betray a power like Sephiroth? Nothing seemed to be making any sense.

The gunman sighed again to himself.

Yazoo wanted answers.

And he wanted them _**now**_.

When Aeris rushed back into the room, the gunman raised his head. The brunette was carrying a bundle of clothes in her arms, but that wasn't what caught the pale warrior's attention. Gone was her pale wet kimono, to be replaced with leather garbs not unlike his own. Her face was red, but it was not born from the embarrassment of what she was wearing, but instead from the speed of her dressing. Aeris had made sure to put her clothes on as quickly as she possibly could. But since there were so many stupid buckles to do up on nearly every accessory, it took much longer than she would have liked to get dressed. That was the main reason she decided not to do up every button on her leather dress, as it just would take too much time…and time was something she did not have.

'…_Seven days…'_

The flowergirl mentally cringed. Although the black leather ensemble was quite comfortable and fit her form quite snugly, that did not mean she liked it. The material was just too black, too _unnaturally dark_ for someone who had a fondness for wearing light and bright clothes. But Aeris realised she did not have the time to be picky. Warmth and functional was much more important than pretty and impractical.

The gunman turned to look up and down at the brunette's state of dress with a blank stare. The leather looked functionary enough. He mentally dismissed the irony of Aeris wearing clothes she clearly refused to accept just hours before. "Aeris-" '_This is the second time I have addressed her using her real name,_' he mentally noted to himself. "-did you go inside the Temple and see _**Him**_?"

Aeris anxiously wrung her hands together and nodded faintly.

The gunman tightened his upper lip.

The brunette's eyes darkened. She was trying to forget the depths of madness she had seen in the temple. "I spoke to Sephiroth…and.." Aeris turned her eyes away from Yazoo, to look at Loz who was busying himself on the other side of the room. "He told me his dream of world domination…and the reason why you are all here in the Sanctuary. Sephiroth intends to sacrifice you all in his Temple so he can become a God of this Planet."

Yazoo's fingers twitched slowly. He inhaled sharply, but other than that, the gunman did not seem to be affected by her words. In that moment, Aeris either believed Yazoo to be very brave man, or a complete unfeeling bastard! Aeris knew she herself, was absolutely petrified for the future of the Planet!

"You told me this already. What else did Sephiroth tell you…?" Yazoo asked her eventually. All the while his eyes and face remained calm of emotion.

Aeris shook her head and began wringing her hands. "Sephiroth kept on repeating the same thing, again and again. His dreams are to kill everyone here in the Sanctuary, and even everyone who lives on the surface of this Planet. Sephiroth is using the Reunion to lure you all in like lambs to the slaughter!"

The room became unhealthily silent.

It was Loz who broke the silence.

"Yazoo, why is Kadaj pawing the air?"

Yazoo turned his head away before looking down at Kadaj, noticing the young teen's strange behaviour. The gunman furrowed his brow. He then turned to Aeris for more answers.

"What happened to turn Kadaj like this? If Sephiroth is trying to sacrifice us, why does Kadaj seem so eager to join him, when Loz and I do not?"

Aeris shook her head and went over to the young teen, taking her hand in his. Her touch had an immediate effect on him. His warped pawing stopped, and he stared at his Mother dotingly. "I really don't know what happened to him. Ever since Kadaj looked at Sephiroth's Black Temple, he was completely drawn to it. And it has taken nearly every effort from me to keep him away from it."

"The Black Temple?" Yazoo queried softly. The gunman's curiosity was perked. He recalled of no such place existing in the Sanctuary. Everything was born of white purity. "What Black Temple do you speak of?"

The brunette's eyes shadowed over. "The Sanctuary Temple is no longer white… After Sephiroth woke up, I left the Temple with Kadaj, and then it started changing. Everything started changing. The sky. The land. The houses. I was surprised to find this house unaffected. But I guess since you live further away from the temple, Sephiroth's darkness has not claimed possession of this area… yet…" Aeris was beginning to quake in fear again.

The gunman closed his eyes, and brought a finger to his brow in thought. _'I guess since Loz nor I have seen the extent of __**His**__ darkness…we have not been drawn in to the Reunion…'_

Mako tainted eyes snapped open in realisation. "So it really has begun."

"That's why we all need to get out of here!" Aeris cried. "Yazoo tell me, what is the quickest way out of the Sanctuary?"

"Quickest?" Yazoo asked softly. "There is only one way. The same way you came. You need to swim through the lifestream to get back to the surface."

The flowergirl sighed. It was as she feared. But water seemed a minor fear compared to the terror that was soon to befall the entire Planet. "Come on then, is everyone ready? We need to leave now!" Aeris cried. "We do have not a moment to lose!"

The gunman nodded and pulled Kadaj's bag over his own shoulder. He paused momentarily to pick up Kadaj's Souba that was laying on the teen's futon in a dark scabbard. The gunman stared at the dark sheath that was concealing the white dual blade from his mako tainted gaze.

'…_a sheath....its purpose is to conceal and protect the importance of a blade…'_

As Yazoo looked at Kadaj's sheath, he suddenly had an idea. Rushing towards his drawer where he kept his private training equipment, Yazoo's gloved hands scrambled across the different items till he found exactly what he was looking for.

"Loz, catch," Yazoo said softly, as he threw a dark strip of cloth towards the burly giant.

"Huh?" Loz blinked down at the fabric item he had caught in his gloved hands. "What's with the bandana Yazoo? You know I don't need a hair tie since I don't have long hair like you."

"It is not for your hair idiot. Cover your eyes with it," Yazoo answered irritably, as he picked up another scrap of cloth from his drawer. At the sight of the dark fabric in his gloved palm, the gunman faintly smirked to himself. Yazoo knew he was holding his biggest training secret. With this item in his hands, the warrior had trained his body towards the pinnacle of perfection. Yazoo was aware that a warrior could never rely on visionary skills alone, especially if they wanted to master true, graceful perfection. Sight alone would never be enough to save you in a difficult battle. That was why Yazoo self-trained himself to fight in blindfolded conditions. The gunman quickly realised that visual handicaps caused a warrior think differently and rely on other senses during a fight. And these senses could cripple many enemies who saw his blindness as a disadvantage. The gunman smiled secretly to himself. Yazoo now realised the advantage of his unique training style.

'_And to think, I used to fight blindfolded only for fun…'_

Loz blinked as Yazoo continued to smile evilly to himself. "Wha?"

"I have a theory…" The gunman said softly, as he looked at each individual in the room. "If what you say is true," Yazoo paused to stare at Aeris. "Anyone who looks at the black Temple will be drawn into the will of the Reunion. If we blind ourselves, then we cannot be drawn into its persuasive darkness."

"Eh?" Loz scratched his head. Sometimes Yazoo said the most strangest…and yet, most logical of things.

Seeing his burly brother's hesitation, Yazoo rolled his eyes. "Just do as I say Loz."

"Whatever," Loz answered with a shrug, and covered his eyes with the thick black material. "Hey Yazoo, now I can't see a thing!"

Yazoo rolled his eyes. "That is the point moron," he answered calmly, as he tied a cloth over his own eyes. Muted darkness was a familiar experience to him. The beauty of being blind meant Yazoo had to rely on his other senses, and his faultless memory of the Sanctuary. The gunman smirked to himself. He knew he had the skill to get everyone out of the Sanctuary safety. And this experience... was going to be fun.

Aeris stared between the blindfolded men, and then back at the young teen who was still lightly pawing at her side. If she was not aware of the ingenious nature of Yazoo's plan, she would have believed she was standing in a room full of lunatics. The demi-Cetra breathed in deeply. She could not give up hope. "Now we can do this." Aeris nodded to herself. She turned her attention to the teen grasping her hand. She smiled down at him softly. He blinked back at her in dismal confusion. "Alright then guys! Lets go!"

0o0o0o0o0o

When the dark clothed group exited the pale hut, Aeris cringed at the great expanse of darkness that had contaminated the once pale hues of the Sanctuary. Even though the rain had recently stopped, and the storm had passed, the sky seemed even blacker than it was before. Everything around seemed void of all purity, and the streets now were completely deserted of life. The Sanctuary resonated with pure despair. Aeris shook her head to her blackening thoughts. She knew she had to focus on the light. If she did not focus, then everything would be lost and Sephiroth's madness would consume all.

_'We need to get out of the Sanctuary!'_

_'If only I knew which direction to go…'_

Aeris gaped when without warning, Yazoo gladly took the lead in front of her, guiding their group past many of the still blackening huts. The flowergirl could not understand how the gunman could move so confidently and gracefully when he was 100% blind! There was no sight to guide him. The brunette mentally shrugged. It seemed walking blindfolded was one of Yazoo's many hidden talents. The brunette shook her head. He was such a crazy daredevil. If the situation was not so dire, Aeris would have been amused. Yazoo managed to blind-walk so splendidly…unlike Loz who seemed to be constantly tripping over everything imaginary and non.

The brunette mentally sweat dropped to herself.

The gunman's ears twitched irritably when he heard Loz stumble over another small pipe in the road. Yazoo turned his head to the side, and shook his head at his short haired Brother. The warrior did not need to see what Loz was doing. Yazoo just knew whatever Loz was doing…it was completely graceless. "We sometimes used to practise our weaponry blindfolded," Yazoo eventually explained to the amazed flowergirl behind him.

"Really?" Aeris now looked at the blindfolded Yazoo in awe. Kadaj was still walking beside her, with his pale hand possessively locked in hers. The brunette idly noted that he seemed much more subdued than usual.

"Although from Loz's clumsiness, you can tell he never found the time to hone such skills," The gunman chuckled to himself.

"Hey!" Loz cried, nearly falling over another imaginary pebble in the pavement.

"On second thought, Loz is just as clumsy without a blindfold," Yazoo answered absently, ignoring his brother's defiant cry, as he mentally recounted the steps he had just taken from their hut. Yazoo knew that it would be at least twenty steps before they reached a fork in the road. The gunman knew the left road would lead them to the ominous forest of trials, and the engineer quarter of the town. He knew the right would lead to the shoreline. And Yazoo knew if they continued straight on, then they would head right towards Sephiroth's Temple…

"So where do we go? Which direction Yazoo?" Aeris asked the blind gunman, as she recognised the familiar fork in the road. She was very aware that if she continued north, then she might as well hand Kadaj and everyone else over on a silver platter to Sephiroth.

Yazoo stared at the fork in the road. He knew they needed to go right, but his head tilted towards the left. Decision decided, the gunman guided his team left and they all followed him obediently. Now Yazoo was relying on his scent of smell to guide him to the correct hut that was positioned on the left side of the road. The gunman knew there was a small garage where many of the fellow alchemists and weapon makers of the Sanctuary used to gathered together. He was sure that whatever he was looking for, he would find it in there. When the scent of petrol filled his nose, Yazoo realised he was in the right place.

"Where are we?" Aeris asked from behind him.

"We all need to obtain a mode of transport to use on the other side," Yazoo explained quietly, as he stood at the entrance of the garage. With his vision lost, he depended on his scent and hearing. But the teen realised to do his next task, he could not remain blindfolded. Making sure to keep his gaze only on the dark ground beneath him, Yazoo pushed his dark blindfold up to his forehead. He refused to look any higher, just in case he was ensnared by the magicks of Sephiroth's darkness. When the gunman found the large bike collection lined against the wall, Yazoo quickly went over to them and went to work. Aeris all the while watched him in silence, while Kadaj yawned on in boredom, every once and while mumbling random words about the Reunion.

"Hey Yaz, that isn't your bike. Isn't this like, stealing?" Loz asked, as he raised his blindfold slightly to peak at his younger Brother knelt beside a behemoth sized motor.

"Shut up Loz, and put your blindfold back on," Yazoo said softly as he toyed with the wires to bring the black engine to life, followed quickly by the next one beside it. All the while Yazoo mentally wondered. He knew there were four of them, and only two drivers. Yazoo did not trust Kadaj on a bike just yet. He had the strangest feeling that if Kadaj did drive, he would very likely bike straight towards the Sanctuary Temple and hand himself over to Sephiroth! Yazoo mentally sighed to himself.

"Loz you can still ride?" Yazoo asked passively, as he threw Kadaj's inventory bag on one bike, and clipped the sheath of Souba on another. The gunman slipped his blindfold back over his vision.

"Well that depends. I can't drive if I'm blindfolded! That's like- suicide!" Loz exclaimed in a shrill tone, as he slipped his own blindfold back over his eyes. The gunman rolled his eyes. Yazoo did not have time for such idiocies.

"Lets go then," The gunman announced. Now both bikes were ready for use. Yazoo steered one of the larger bikes back towards the forked road, and forced his idiotic brother to do the same with the other motor.

All the while Aeris watched and followed them, tugging Kadaj along with her.

Soon they returned to a familiar darkening shore, and Aeris cringed with fear as she watched the calm, oscillating waves gliding gently back and forth. The sight of the moving water had been imprinted in her memory, as a source of immense fear. Water was just so dark….it was like an unconscious dream…a dream that could lure you into a blackening nightmare!

Aeris suddenly yelped when a bike was tossed over her head. It crashed into the dark water before her with a loud splash. The brunette whipped around in surprise and watched as Yazoo waded after the bike he had just thrown into the sea. When he was sure the motorbike was nowhere in sight, the gunman tensed his jaw line, before turning to the others.

Now was the time to leave…He was ready to journey the watery veins of the lifestream again... to reach the artic surface.

"Let's go," Yazoo said softly. For reasons he did not understand, he realised he had become the unofficial leader for this misfit party.

Hearing Yazoo's words, Aeris visibly shuddered, and tentatively stepped one booted foot into the water. She really was not ready to do this….But she had no choice but to go forward. Aeris moved her other foot in the dark water.

"!"

Yazoo whipped his head around. He could not see what was happening but he just heard Aeris scream. Something was wrong! His body pivoted around as he searched for the source of the unknown danger blindly.

And then Yazoo heard Kadaj's voice.

"_**You cannot leave. You will not leave!" **_

Aeris screamed again as the eyes of Kadaj bore down on her with the evil will of Sephiroth's dark madness. The brunette trembled in fright, but then she built up the courage to harden her gaze at him. Aeris knew the Kadaj she cared for was no longer holding her hand, but instead it was _**Him**_. Sephiroth. The brunette glared angrily at the dark warrior who was possessing Kadaj like a puppet. Aeris knew she would never allow herself to become another puppet to this monster! She would die before that happened!

"You just watch me," Aeris snapped back at the dark warrior.

And with that thought in mind, Aeris took another step into the cool, dark water. But Sephiroth would not let her go. And in a moment of rage, he pulled her wrist towards him, away from the waters and back towards the dark shoreline.

"No!" Aeris screamed out, as she thrashed against the warrior's dark and violent strength. "Let me go Sephiroth!" Aeris was too weak to stop him. Even in the body of the young teen, Sephiroth was unbeatable. But the brunette was still fighting on. "You do not control me Sephiroth. I am not one of your puppets! Now let Kadaj go! Give him back to me!" Aeris cried out, all the while trying to push herself away from the sand and back towards the sea.

The dark warrior glared with the face of the young teen. "Never!"

Aeris screamed out helplessly. She was not strong enough to get away from him. Then something rather unexpected happened. A dark shadow suddenly appeared behind Kadaj's possessed form. The flowergirl watched in horror as Loz violently punched Kadaj in the back of his head, knocking the teen unconscious. Aeris gaped at Loz in both awe and fear. In that moment, Aeris realised that Loz had risked his life to save her, since he removed his bandana to assist her. "Please forgive me Kadaj…but it was necessary to save Mother." The burly man gently apologised to the young warrior laying unconscious in his muscular arms.

The brunette's eyes wavered. "Loz…"

The burly giant then beamed at her brightly. "Don't worry Mother. Kadaj will be fine. I've hit him much harder in the past and he survived all those blows too! So you don't have to worry about him dying by a little pow to the head."

The flowergirl face-vaulted. 'Little pow? If Loz punched me like that…..my brains would be spread right across this beach…' Aeris shivered in fear.

"Everyone, get in the water…" Yazoo called out the pair, still waistdeep in the water. Aeris whipped her head around to stare back at him. During her struggles, the gunman had kept himself blindfolded as he did not want to risk the chance of being drawn to Sephiroth's dark Reunion. The pale warrior heard gentle splashing as Aeris began to wade across to him. Loz was following in tow, carrying an unconscious Kadaj in his arms.

But then….

A dark scarlet orb began to form high in the sky.

"What is that?" Aeris cried out, as she looked up at the growing shape that was expanding high above the temple. Long thin tentacles were forming around the dark orb, and streaking themselves across the filthy black sky. Aeris shivered in the water. She knew whatever monstrous thing she was seeing, it was definitely connected to the finale of Sephiroth's demonic Reunion.

"Huh? What is what Mother?" Confused by the flowergirl's words, Loz blinked and foolishly looked upwards. And in that moment, he was star struck. "Reunion," he murmured softly as he felt the pull of an unknown force drawing him in. He gently dropped Kadaj on the dark sand and continued to stare up at the sky in awe.

'_It's.._…_.Jenova…'_

And then slowly, Loz lifelessly turned his gaze from the scarlet orb…

To raise his left arm…

And _**attack**_ Yazoo!

Aeris screamed at the new madness that was now unfolding before her. Even though blindfolded, Yazoo agilely dodged the violent blast from Loz's dual hound with ease. The brunette could not stop screaming when the gunman raised his Velvet Nightmare to parry the attacks of his older Brother. Aeris could not believe what was happening. First Kadaj had been taken over by Sephiroth….and now Loz!

'_But why is Sephiroth even using Loz to attack Yazoo?'_

'_Why is Sephiroth even doing this in the first place?'_

'_This is madness!'_

Aeris rushed into the water to try and stop the battle between the two pale Brothers. She had to stop Sephiroth from hurting Yazoo! This battle was wrong on so many levels!

"No! Stop it Seph!" Aeris cried out, as she tried to make a grab at the burly warrior. But the moment she touched him, Loz pushed her violently away from him, and straight into the water. Aeris coughed up some of the dark liquid, and watched as Yazoo parried another one of his Brother's heavy handed blows. The brunette got up and tried to rush at them again, but this time it was Yazoo who pushed her back.

Even with a blindfold on, Yazoo was a formidable warrior.

"Get Kadaj to the surface!" The gunman called out her, as he fired four shots at his older Brother. Three of the bullets missed, due to Loz's dexterity, but the last one hit his left kneecap perfectly. The muscular warrior snarled with pain, and in a rage, he threw himself over of the gunman, pummelling him in the water.

Knowing she could not stop the madness between the two Brothers, Aeris rushed back to the unconscious Kadaj on the shore. Pulling the teen back into the dark water, Aeris knew it was up to her to get Kadaj out of the Sanctuary. She still had to protect him!

But then suddenly, the brunette cried out in pain when Loz materialised behind her, and grabbed the back of her hair. He pulled her braid violently and tried to drag her back to the shoreline. But Yazoo kicked Loz off the terrified brunette, and the violent fight between the two Brothers raged on.

Loz vs. Yazoo.

It was Raw Power verses Blind Agility.

Aeris had no idea who would win. She did not want to think about who would win, for she wanted neither to win, nor to lose. Aeris silently cried to herself, ignoring the pain of her scalp as she grabbed Kadaj under his armpits and dragged him further out into the dark water. The flowergirl was aware that the veins of the mystic lifestream began at the bottom of these black waters.

'_If I can hold my breath for long enough, I will be able to reach the barrier to the other side!'_

Aeris had no choice now. She had to do this! The unconscious teen in her arms was her only reason for living now. She could do this! And she would do this all by herself! Aeris Gainsborough would never need saving again. This time she would save herself! She would not drown! Kadaj was counting on her! And with these very brave thoughts in mind, Aeris let the currents drag Kadaj and her own body further out to sea.

0o0

Yazoo flinched when Loz's dual hound clipped the left side of his cheek. The force of the hit caused the gunman to fly across the water. Yazoo grimaced in slight pain. He was not expecting such a sneaky attack from the possessed warrior. Blood dribbled down the warrior's face, but he did not have the time to wipe it away, for Loz had materialised on his right, and his dual hound was ready to gouge out a piece of his flesh. Yazoo swiftly dodged the warrior's attack by diving into the water. He sped through the undercurrents, resurfacing many metres away from his possessed Brother.

The gunman panted weakly. Despite being blinded, his mako enhanced hearing quickly heard the rampant breaths of Aeris and the subdued and unconscious breaths of Kadaj heading towards the far east of the water. Even though his attention on them was for a split second, it allowed Loz to get another hit in. The gunman mentally cursed to himself. Yazoo now realised what he had to do. In order to give Aeris the time to save Kadaj, he would have to play the role of the kind, sacrificial Brother.

'Shit.'

Yazoo dodged another attack from Loz. He had to lure Loz...well...Sephiroth away from Aeris and Kadaj. That was the only way the pair could escape the Sanctuary unharmed. Yazoo forced himself to swim across the western coastline, as far away from Aeris and Kadaj as he could possibly get. He turned to shoot bullets at his silver haired enemy to make sure Sephiroth's rage was focussed only on him. He did not have to worry, for Sephiroth was right on his tail.

When Yazoo realised the sound of Aeris' and Kadaj's presence had completely disappeared under the dark waves of water, Yazoo felt his lips twitch upwards slightly in victory. The gunman knew the pair of them had the strength to make it across the veins of the Lifestream without him. Yazoo cursed violently as pain tore through his left shoulder. The Possessed Loz grabbed the gunman's head with both hands and smashed it face first in the water. Yazoo quickly realised that Sephiroth was trying to drown him! In white fury, Yazoo kicked out from beneath the burly warrior. The large warrior cursed in pain, when the force of Yazoo's kick to his head sent him skidding across the water. Now the gunman was free, Yazoo burst his head out of the water, and inhaled a large gulp of air. He barely had time to cough up any water for his possessed Brother sent another vicious attack his way. Yazoo now relied on his Velvet Nightmare to block every kick and punch that was thrown his way.

"You have improved Loz," Yazoo remarked calmly, as he launched his own barrage of attacks at his older Brother. The short haired warrior dodged each bullet despite having a wounded kneecap. "But then you are not Loz, are you?"

The face of Loz glared at him. "You do not deserve to talk to me, _**Traitor**_," the silver warrior spat angrily, as he made another attack towards the agile gunman.

"Traitor?" Yazoo frowned, as he dodged the warrior's attack. "Well I apologise if you see my will to live as an act of betrayal, _**Sephiroth**_." Yazoo followed his words with four more shots towards his enemy's torso. To his satisfaction, each shot hit their mark but the Possessed-Loz kept on running right at him! Beneath his blindfold, the gunman's eyes widened in surprise when Loz grabbed his face and threw him up in the air. The gunman tried to twist his body around to control his landing, but Loz grabbed his leg and threw him back against the shore and right into the large motorbike Loz had left there. Yazoo hit the dark vehicle with a violent crash. The gunman groaned and tried to get up. His roughlanding had caused his blindfold to slip down his face. Yazoo immediately shut his eyelids. But before he had the chance to shut them, the gunman eyes caught of a familiar sheathed weapon dangling off the damaged motorbike.

'…_I'm sure Kadaj wont mind if I use this..'_

As the Possessed-Loz leapt down to finish the gunman off, Yazoo suddenly drew out Souba, and sliced the air above him. Hearing the warrior's sudden cry of pain, Yazoo finalised his attack by leaping right towards the short haired fighter. He slashed the warrior's form repeatedly with the dual blades, before throwing Loz beneath him on the dark sand and impaling Souba right through the warrior's wounded kneecap.

Loz howled with rage and pain. He glared up at his brother and tried to make a swipe at the gunman's leg. But Yazoo dodged it and retaliated by viciously kicking the warrior in the face. Knowing that his Brother was not going to get up anytime soon, the gunman pulled the blindfold back over his eyes and headed back towards the sea. Yazoo did not want to leave Loz, but the gunman did not know how to save the warrior who had fallen under the will of _**Him**_. And with more pain and guilt than he had ever felt in his life, Yazoo left Loz to die on the black and bloody beach of Sephiroth's Sanctuary.

All the while, as Yazoo waded himself through the dark sea…mako tainted eyes glared at him with undying rage.

In the eyes of Loz, Sephiroth watched the **_traitor_** in the water. The dark warrior sneered angrily. He knew his _**will**_ could not be stopped, least of all by someone who was less than a Remnant of _**Him**_. Loz snarled, and in a moment of insanity, the warrior pulled Souba out of his leg. Blood splattered the black sand, but the warped warrior did not care. Sephiroth did not care for such irrelevancies such as pain, and Loz was not in control of his own mind to care about such things either.

And as Loz watched Yazoo make a move to dive into the water towards the veins of the Lifestream.

The warrior violently threw his arm back and tossed Souba through the air.

Fortunately, Yazoo heard the pale sound of metal singing straight towards him from behind.

The gunman was swift….and dived himself into the dark waters to dodge the attack.

Fortunately, Yazoo managed to dodge the fatality of the attack aimed at his heart.

…but…

He was not fast enough to stop the blade from puncturing less vital organs.

Crimson pain burst across his right shoulder, as the twin bladed Souba pierced right through skin, muscle, and bone, to gorily appear out the other side of his torso. Yazoo viciously hissed in pain, as he saw the two tips of Kadaj's blades protruding crudely out his upper right pectoral. The pain of the wound was monstrous.

But Yazoo did not stop swimming, even as his blood smeared the dark water all around him. He forced himself to keep swimming downwards, till the darkness of the Sanctuary melted away into shades of soothing ephemeral green. When the gunman eventually realised he had passed through the invisible barrier, and was now floating across the placid and colourful realm of Gaia's Lifestream, Yazoo allowed him mind to slip into unconsciousness.

And as the bleeding Remnant of Sephiroth floated within the glowing sanctions of the Planet's Lifestream, Gaia not seeing the boy as a threat to her, gently guided his lonely spirit upwards, and towards the fading light of the world above.

0o0o0o0o0

Hours passed when Loz woke up alone on the blackened beach of the Sanctuary. The bloody pain pulsing from his left knee was a sign that moving was certainly not be a good idea. And so the warrior remained still, unable to look anywhere but skyward.

And as he looked at the black dystopian sky, to stare at a strange crimson orb with thrashing black legs…a parody of a nightmare sun….a wandering thought came to him.

"Yazoo.. The sky is no longer white…Is it black, because I have _sinned_?"

An all too familiar wetness slipped down his cheeks.

"Brother…Yazoo, I am so sorry.."

Since the warrior knew he could only voice his heartfelt apology to the wind, the tears soon came..

And then Loz cried....

And cried.....and cried...

0o0o0o0o0o0

**Author's Notes**

**Whew. Now who thought this was a fun chapter? Lol x Well fun is probably the wrong word. Twisted perhaps? Mad? Review you guys and tell me what you think.**

**I actually want to write more. I have another ten pages that I could have attached to this chapter but then I thought, 36 pages of writing really is enough! Haha x Another ten would just be stupidly long. **

**Oh another thing!**

**Well this has nothing to do with Aer/Seph but I thought it was an amazing vid. Have any of you guys watched the talents of a belly dancer cosplaying as Shiva or even Princess Leia? Well I was searching on Youtube and I managed to find this marvellous female. I recommend any FF fan looking at her. Just tap in Shiva cosplay belly dancing or anything similiar. This woman is brilliant.**

**Anywho...**

**Now for some added crack x As I was polishing up my ff7 trivia, I came across this startling revelation about the ff7 series. In truth I was never aware of this. I am not sure how many readers here knew of this……but wow…it certainly shocked me, that is if this piece of info is true. Afterall got it from wiki…you can never trust anything from there to be legit. LOL X**

_http :// finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Aerith_

'_Aerith was, along with __Cloud__ and __Barret__, one of the first three playable characters designed for Final Fantasy VII before more were added. In the original development materials, it is stated the DNA of her mother __Ifalna__, not __Jenova__, would have been used to create __SOLDIERs__, and Aerith herself would have been cheerful but a bit naive regarding men, having never been in a relationship. _

_In a subplot that was cut from the final product, Aerith would tell Cloud stories about a nameless SOLDIER who used to buy flowers from her years ago. She eventually fell in love with him, though her feelings were unrequited. Cloud would have eventually deduced from these stories that the SOLDIER was __Sephiroth__, and would have gone out of his way to hide evidence of his true character from Aerith to avoid shattering her idealized vision of him. At one time, it was also considered that Sephiroth and Aerith would be brother and sister, and for Tifa to tell Aerith the truth about Cloud and the __Nibelheim Incident__. '_

**Now…I wonder, am I the only one who jaw dropped at this startling development? Imagine if this was part of the real FF7 canon….? Lets just say there would be plenty more Aer/Seph fics out there than there is now….lol x I'm just trying to comprehend why Seph would want to buy flowers in the first place! Haha x But with this knowledge, someone could write a fantastic fic…….and be able to twist the FF7CC canon quite well…. Is anyone brave enough to try writing a fic using the clippings that the Square team left on their cutting floor? If I didn't have this fic to worry about, I would be scribbling down ideas for a new one. Haha x Wow. Aer and Seph as siblings…and they are unaware of the other's existence…now that would be dark, especially if Aer loves Seph, and its unrequited love. Now is it unrequited because Seph is aware of his biological relationship to her? If he does not care for her…then why buy flowers? Is he an admirer of her beauty? Or does he feel a connection with her? Is he nice to her or mean? Must be nice if Aer falls in love with him. I can make some very twisted deductions from this cracked up theory.**

**Ha…maybe when I fin TLAA2 (which will take some time) I might play around with this FF7 development idea.**

**Anywho** **Review guys Review!! x x And I may surprise you with another speedyish update. LOL X**

**Ja ne**

**Aer_seph4eva**


	30. Authors notes

_**TLAA2 Author**__**'**__**s Notes x**_

_**Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that TLAA2 is now finished.**_

_**But if anyone wishes to read the first chapter of TLAA3 then go right ahead! I've uploaded the first chapter today. **__**Click on my profile page**__** if you want to read it.**_

**But I will warn you TLAA3 CH1 isstupidly long. Like 50 pages long....lol x**

**So guys I hope you will enjoy reading...**

**_And dont forget to review x x _**

**_Ciao x_**

**_Aer_seph4eva_**


End file.
